A Perfect Impossibility
by EvilGu
Summary: Hermione and Co. are looking for a Horcrux in freezing northern Canada. Separated from camp, Hermione is saved by someone who shouldn't have even been there. Trapped in a snowy Mansion, can Draco and Hermione find any common ground? Rated M for later chap
1. Chapter 1

A Perfect Impossibility

A re-imagining of the 7th year, so books 1-6 apply. In fact, the alternate universe-ness starts during the famously long "camping" in book 7, at some non-existent time after Ron returns to the group.

This is a Draco/Hermione all the way. :heart: It is also my first real fanfic, so be nice and comment please? There will be lemon in much, much later chapters. The wait is what makes it all worthwhile, though, right? That's the kind of fanfiction I like reading, anyways.

Anywho…

The search for the horcrux's continues!

Chapter 1

They had managed to track it down. Hufflepuff's cup. It had taken some real scoopy-doo style sleuthing on Hermione's part, and she felt rather proud and terrified at the same time as she looked around at the snowy landscape.

Northern Canada, in the middle of freakin winter! In just so happened the Malfoy's owned a ski lodge (a really big, expensive mansion, actually) in the area. Naturally, Hermione and the boys didn't think Voldy would hand another horcrux over to the Malfoy family, seen as what happened to the last one, but Hermione had discovered something odd.

Bellatrix Lestrange had been "given" the mansion early last year. The deed had been signed over, all legal-like. No doubt Voldy would be all for punishing the Malfoy's after the failures of the past few years, but making them give up their mansion? Not really his style. He's much more the torture and belittlement sorta guy.

But what other reason could there be for Bellatrix gaining a secluded snowy mountain retreat guarded by various spells? Other than the fact that Voldemort _did_ trust her with his precious horcrux. She could have hid it in many places, places Voldemort would have appreciated and which would have seemed perfectly safe, such as, say, Gringotts. But if, for instance, a few teenaged freedom fighters were crazy enough to try and find his horcrux's, Gringotts is too close to home for comfort.

And so, seen as how the transfer of the mansion to Bellatrix was just oh-so-suspicious, the trio decided it was worth checking out.

And so here they were. Hermione had had the foresight to sneak into a muggle town and buy some heavy winter gear, but it was just so damn cold! She turned and looked at her two companions. Harry was holding up all right, but Ron had turned a rather ugly shade of blue/gray. They just had to stop soon and make camp. The wind was too harsh to keep walking.

They had one fatal flaw in their plan: The exact location of the mansion was not common knowledge. They had had a pretty good idea, and were searching frantically. But for today, they needed to find a place with tree's to block the wind and set up camp.

It was a matter of minutes before Hermione got her wish, and they had the tent up. Harry cupped his hands in front of his face and breathed on them. Ron's teeth were chattering.

"So…what are we going to eat?" Ron asked, his teeth chattering so it sounded more like "sssssso….w…what….a..a……..g..going to eat?"

Hermione was too grumpy and cold to find his focus on food amusing today. She shot him a glare.

"Alright, let's not get back into the fighting thing again, ok?" Harry beseeched them. "Look, we still have some jerky and a can of peaches left. Let's just eat that, and hope we find the mansion be tomorrow night. If it's a hiding place for the horcrux, it's probably deserted; no servants, nothing. If we can get by the security spells, we should have a warm place to stay and maybe some food to eat."

Ron sighed, "That's a big "if." "IF" we find it, "IF" we get by the spells, "IF" there's no one there, "IF" they kept some food in their cupboards…."

"There's nothing we can do; bellyaching isn't helping anything. Let's just all get some sleep, ok?" Hermione said quietly.

***

That night, Hermione had strange dreams. She couldn't remember the details, but it included cold gray eyes. In the dream, the dark mark was eating up his arm, slowly devouring his body.

She woke up shivering. But from the dream or the biting cold, she couldn't tell.

Being near Malfoy-property must have been affecting her. Or maybe it was the story Harry had told about how Draco couldn't bring himself to kill Dumbledore…how he was being manipulated and used by Voldemort. She couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

Everything cruel he had said to her, and she still couldn't bring herself to have ever wished this on him. He had been raised to believe in the horrible things he had always said, but now he was seeing the dark truth behind the blind hate of the death eaters. He had learned what being a death eater entailed, but now it was too late for him to escape.

Hermione shook her head, trying to wipe away the vision of sad gray eyes from her mind.

"Good Morning!" Ron called, in a better mood after some food and sleep. He peeked his head around the curtain separating her room in the tent. "Oh!" He said, grinning. "How'd you sleep?"

"Yeah…morning…good…" Hermione answered in a quiet tired voice. Sleep had not been as restful as she would have hoped.

Ron grinned "Are we ready to go out and face great evils at impossible odds today?" He asked. He was much too cheerful. He also seemed to have a slight blush across his face.

"Ron?" Hermione asked

"Yes?"

"Get out."

As Ron left, Hermione dragged herself out of the bottom bunk of her bed. She looked in the mirror as she began to dress for the day. That's when she realized in all her tossing and turning last night one too many buttons on her jammies had come open. She was showing just waaay more cleavage than she wanted, especially with Ron's wake-up call.

No wonder he had seemed cheerful…she had thought it was strange, Ron, a morning person!

"Little perv…" Hermione mumbled, adding on all her warm winter sweaters and coats in preparation for their search. It had become pretty clear lately that Ron was interested in her_ in that way_, but Hermione just couldn't think about romance with anyone right now, let alone Ron. Ron, who had switched off being a best friend to a total jerk more times than she could count in her Hogwarts career. She needed time to think, and now was not that time. More important things were at work right now than her love life.


	2. Chapter 2

I know, I know. After writing this, I realized that it's mentioned that Wizards don't ski. Let's just ignore that little fact, ok? It's not especially important, but I can't think of another reason for a mansion in the middle of cold-freaking-nowhere, Canada.

For this chapter, keep in mind that Harry's wand is KO'd at this point

Chapter 2

A storm. A huge, full-on, winter blizzard. They weren't going anywhere today. Ron's stomach rumbled loudly, and seemed to be an excellent punctuation on what they were all thinking: We're hungry, cold, and now we can't even try and find food or the mansion for at least another day.

Harry stood up suddenly. "I'm going to find some wood. We need to add to the stove, or we're going to freeze here."

"The tent stops the wind; we're not going to freeze to death. We'll be cold, we'll be hungry, and we'll be frustrated, but we'll be ok. If you go out in a snow storm to find wood because of either of those three things, it would just be foolish." Hermione pointed out.

Harry sighed 'I won't be long..I…I just can't stand the thought that we're about to run out of wood and be even _colder._ I think I could use some time out of this tent, too. Time me, just five minutes. Really. I'm a wizard; I won't get lost or anything silly like a muggle would. See, I'm bringing your wand. I'll be fine."

Hermione sighed, giving up on logic. "Fine, just go. Make sure to place a good tracing spell on the tent. If you're not back in five minutes, I swear I'm coming out after you."

Even in the magic tent, the roaring wind was loud and rocked the fabric walls back and forth violently. It was madness to go out there.

However, with the silence that met Harry's departure, Hermione wasn't so sure it wasn't madness to stay in that tent all day long. It was just…awkward! Before it had been boring, but with her and Ron alone, the atmosphere was something much more uncomfortable.

Hermione put a pot of water (once snow) on the stove, with the intent on making the only thing they had left: tea.

When she turned around, she realized Ron had stood up and stepped just behind her.

"Hermione…" He started, his voice so soft she could hardly hear over the wind.

"er…tea?" Hermione asked awkwardly, raising up an empty cup.

Her attempt to distract was to no avail, however, as Ron was growing closer and closer to her. She didn't even realize she had been backing up past the stove until she felt the fabric of the tent wall pressed against her back. As it flapped in the wind it smacked into her head, making her jump.

"R…Ron?" She asked, "See, um…"

"We need to talk, Hermione…I need, I just need to tell you this…"

Hermione knew this had been coming. But they were in the middle of saving the world, for god's sake! She hadn't even had time to think about this…or had she…Maybe she had just been deliberately avoiding the issue. In any case, she did _not_ want to hear what Ron had to say.

Since his return from his little running away stunt, he had acted different. Kinder to her. And she had thought she had changed too. She had missed him _so much_. But that just wasn't enough. She couldn't just forgive him every time he made her cry, especially if they were going to have _that_ kind of relationship.

"Hermione, after all this is over, I mean, not now, that would be awkward for Harry, wouldn't it? But I mean…I like you Hermione, I think I have for a long time now, I've just been too stubborn to see it until lately…Hermione, I think I'm in l…"

"L…late!" Hermione said, narrowly avoiding the "L" word by cleverly pointing out the time. She sidestepped Ron, who was almost pressed against her at this point. "Harry should have been back by now!"

"Hermione, it's only been 10 minutes…"

"10 minutes, much too late, I'm going to go see if I can find him. Bye!" she squeaked the last word, jumping outside into the painful wind.

She walked as fast as she could, her face burning even through the bitter cold. How could he put this on her so suddenly! Ah! How could she have just walked away like that! It wasn't like her to run away from her problems! She should have just told him…told him what? She had no idea.

It was then that she realized her moment of stupidity extended beyond simply walking away from an awkward conversation.

She had walked far enough from camp that the heavy snow hid it.

She had no idea what direction she had come from.

Harry had her wand.

Shit.

***

Except for short moments of human-like exception, Hermione was not a stupid person. No one would think that. And so, after several seconds, Hermione made the intelligent decision to try and follow her footsteps as far as she could.

After a few feet, however, they disappeared in the drifting snow. Now what? Survival skills were not high on her list of studies. Wait for help, right? Or should she try and find her way back? Just go strait back where her footprints came from, right?

And so she began to walk, hoping she wouldn't regret her decision.

***

After about an hour of hopeless search, Hermione slowly began to feel her stomach drop. She had made a bad decision. And then she had kept going. Bad decisions just seem to snowball.

Speaking of which, the snow was coming down harder and harder. It was still bright daylight, but she couldn't see more than a few feet in front of her. What the hell was she going to do?!

It was so cold….all the layers of clothes in the world couldn't help her now.

Suddenly she rammed her foot into something. Hard. She could even hear the loud "Tunk!" sound against the wind. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she yelled out, hopping up and down on one foot.

Tentatively, she held out a hand in front of her, and found she was face to face with…a fence! A metal fence! She hadn't even seen it, and was grateful it hadn't been her face that had collided with the wrought iron bars.

With tears of pain in her eyes, she began to follow the fence to the right.

***

After about a half hour, Hermione was two things: First off, she was pissed with the world. How long could a freaking fence be!? She had yet to find anything like an entrance. She had tried climbing it, but she was too tired, it was too tall, and a layer of ice had coated the thin black bars. If only she had a wand!

Secondly, she was cold. Cold and tired. She knew, in the back of her brain, that sleeping would be very, very stupid without proper shelter. But her body was fighting her brain with all its might.

A few steps later, and she felt a small gap. The fence was different. It was an entry gate! She felt down to the latch, and found there was no padlock, no chain! She began to open it when something like electricity hit her body. As she fell, something occurred to her.

Oh, right…magic…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Her eyes where heavy and refused to open when she regained consciousness. The first thing she registered was that she was _warm_. She heard the distant roar of the chaotic wind, as if from very far away.

She tried to stretch, to see if anything was hurt, when something else registered.

She couldn't move.

Her eyes shot open.

She was lying down on an old, stiff burgundy leather couch, next to a crackling fireplace.

Was this Hogwarts? Hermione tried to clear her head. She felt all fuzzy and sleepy…No, the walls were a light cream, and there were tacky expensive-looking decorations in gold around the room.

Why couldn't she move, though?

She looked down at herself. A blanket was tucked tight around her, trapping her arms and legs. She felt so weak, she couldn't even break free of it. Not that she was trying too hard. She was enjoying the feeling of warmth, the thick blanket scratchy on her skin.

On her skin?

Suddenly much more awake, she struggled to free one of her arms, and lifted up the blanket.

She was _naked_! Well, ok, so she still had her underthings on. What the hell was going on?!

"Oh, so your alive." Said a cold, sharp voice from the doorway. A _male_ voice. A f_amilia_r male voice.

Hermione pulled the blanked tight against her. "You!" was all she could manage to say. Draco Malfoy was here? She must be in the Malfoy, er, Lestrange ski getaway, but what in the hell was Malfoy doing here?

More importantly, if he was here, that means he had seen her naked! Well, nearly naked. In any case, alarm bells were ringing, telling her to get the hell out of there!

She sat up, clutching the blanket. She glared at him, matching his own look at her.

"Oh, please, Granger. You don't have anything I'd want to see, anyways, Mudblood."

Hermione blushed. It's hard to act tough when you don't have clothes.

"Malfoy…wh..what's.." Hermione cleared her throat, and straightened her shoulders. "What is going on? Why am I here? And for God's sake, _where are my clothes_?"

Draco snickered, a mocking smile on his face. "I dragged your sorry, dirty blood ass out of certain death, that's what."

Hermione forgot to glare for a moment, surprise showing on her face. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, some of our alarm spells went off so I went outside to investigate. And who should I find KO'd from an extremely simple, first on the property, easy to counteract security spell? Non other than the "Chosen One's" favorite little girl toy."

Hermione ignored the insult and thought through the situation. The last thing she remembered was the cold, feeling like she was about to pass out, and a shot of lightning running through her that finally made her body give up on the whole "consciousness" thing. In her condition, she hadn't even realized the fence had obviously been part of the Malfoy place, or that it would of course be safeguarded by spells of all sorts. She could have easily got herself killed, but what choice had she had? Either take her chances with the spells or curl up and die. In retrospect, she had made the better decision.

"…and my clothes?" She asked, all of her righteous indignation blown out of her with a sigh.

"You were soaking wet! I didn't take all the effort to drag you in here to have you die on my patent leather sofa, now did I?"

Hermione sighed. He was trying way too hard to cover his good deed with insults. Well, fine. It wasn't like she was going to be falling over with gratitude, either. But still…

"Thanks, Malfoy…" She said, falling back into the couch in a slouch. She still had no energy.

Draco sneered. "And just what are you thanking me for? How do you know I'm not just waiting for the dark lord to arrive to deliver you all prepackaged?"

"Well…then why bother saving me if you're basically going to deliver me for slaughter? What would be the point? The only difference is that way it would technically be your fault if I died." 'And you would get the credit with Voldy' she added in her head, but didn't want to ruin her attempted guilt trip.

Draco paled a little at that. He looked completely taken aback. However, he recovered quickly with his usual belittling smirk. "You don't need to worry about that, Granger, I wasn't going to turn you in. It's not worth it. Besides, it's not in my job description."

"Job? Why are you here?" She asked, fighting to keep her eye's open, suddenly realizing the room was frightfully hot.

"Like I'm going to tell you anything." He said in a haughty voice. He moved like he was about to leave the room, then thought better of it and took a few steps in, towards Hermione on the couch.

Hermione felt like she was on fire, like her brain was boiling inside her head, and she fought to stay awake as Draco drew near. He reached out towards her.

"Stay away!" She yelled, feebly trying to push his hand away. He touched her forehead, despite her outburst, and none too lightly.

"Calm down. You have a temperature. A hell of one, too, it seems. Just go to sleep, I'll see what we have in the way of fever potions…."

And that was the last thing she heard before everything went black.

***

She awoke shivering. She still felt so hot, and the blankets restricting her were almost too much to bear. Yet she couldn't stop shivering. She reached up and touched something cold and wet pressed against her forehead. It was a bag of ice.

Hermione groaned loudly, and kicked at her blankets. She felt like the world was swirling around her.

"Hold on! Don't go throwing them off!" a voice said reproachfully. Strong hands pushed her shoulders back down onto the couch.

But the blanket was trapping her! She suddenly saw it for what it was: A snake! A huge green snake wrapped firmly around her body. She screamed, kicking at it.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Granger? Stop thrashing around like a mad woman!"

She struggled, finally throwing the snake off of her while at the same time connecting her fist with something.

She heard the loud "thunk!" of her fist connecting with flesh and the groan that followed from the floor. It was the groan, probably, that snapped her back to reality.

She looked down and saw the blanket, plain old green blanket, next to Draco Malfoy.

'Oh, crap.' She thought, but out loud she said nothing. All she could do was sit dumbstruck.

"Why did you have to go and _hit me_ for, you barbaric bitch! That's gratitude for you!"

Draco said from the floor, his cheek red in a way that let you know there would be a hell of a bruise later. He rubbed it tentatively, and winced.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Hermione said, reaching down to him from her spot on the couch. Her fingers brushed his cheek lightly before she realized what she was doing. His gray eye's met her brown one's and for a second she felt frozen in place. She quickly withdrew her hand.

Hermione grabbed the ice pack from its fallen place by her head and held it out to Draco.

"Sorry…I saw…a snake.." Hermione said, realizing too late she had said something ridiculous.

Draco grabbed the ice pack forcefully. His face was red; perhaps a bit more than from just the injury? He placed the ice pack on his cheek and stood up. Hermione guessed he couldn't stand having to look up at anyone, ever.

"What snake? Should I be insulted or something?" Draco asked, glaring down at her. His expression changed very quickly, from glare to…what? Something else, something that left Hermione feeling vulnerable. She suddenly realized that the blanket had been her one source of clothing, and blushed dark red.

She reached down and clutched at the blanket, intending to cover herself up as quickly as possible. But the sudden quick movement made blood rush to her head, causing her to feel dizzy. Her attempt at modesty only made the situation worse as she fell off the couch.

"Shit!" she exclaimed, becoming frustrated at her weak body. The fever had taken its toll on her: fainting, dizziness, and even hallucinations. And all this embarrassment right under the eye's of her school-days enemy.

Draco kneeled down next to her. "Just stop embarrassing yourself. You need to rest; I couldn't find any medical potions. This place is pretty cleared out. Your going to just have to wait for the fever to break."

"What then? You'll just let me go?"

Draco was silent for a moment. "Try not thinking so much, for once. You just need to rest- ask the complicated questions after you stop having hallucinations and such."

He almost sounded…kind? Comforting? Now Hermione _knew_ she was still sick. No way was _this_ not a hallucination!

Draco wrapped his arms around her, and she let out a small sound of protest.

"Relax, stupid Mudblood." Draco said. His soft tone ruined the effect of his insult. She noticed she was shivering uncontrollably again, and was still dizzy. Draco placed one arm under her knees and one around her shoulders as he lifted her up, just enough to place her back on the couch. He let out a strained grunt as he dropped her back into place, and Hermione blushed. Was she _th_at heavy? Wait, why would that bother her at a time like _this_!? She shook her head, willing her blush away.

Draco didn't even notice, as he was already grabbing the blanket from the floor and tucking it around Hermione's body. He seemed to be taking a bit longer than she thought was necessary. As he tucked the blanket slowly around her hips his body was leaning over her, almost like he was embracing her. He looked up just then, and the eye contact made Hermione feel…strange. Like she wanted him closer, closer than he was now.

He broke the eye contact suddenly, and hurried to finish tucking the blanket around her.

"Now, just go to sleep and don't give me more trouble, ok?" he grumbled, placing the ice pack back on her head. "This'll help break the fever, or at least I think it should help. I'll go get my own. Don't want your used Mudblood sweaty one on my face."

And with that, he left the room. Hermione let her heavy eye's droop down, and fell asleep to strange unremembered dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

This time, when the soft morning light filtered through the curtains and hit Hermione's eyes, she woke up to a different feeling. She was _hungry_! But hungry was very welcome compared to other feelings of the past…hours? Days? How long had she been here?

It had been late morning when she had left the camp, and she had wandered around for…maybe three, four hours? How long had she been outside before Draco had brought her in? And how long had she been dead to the world on Draco's couch?

She thought about it. It was defiantly dark last time she had woken up. At least a day. That meant she hadn't eaten for at least a day and a half. It also meant Ron and Harry were probably frantic trying to find her.

She sat up carefully, and was pleased to find she could. She felt stronger, but still weaker than normal. She needed to eat something.

Wrapping the blanket tightly around her like a dress, Hermione stood up and took proper inventory of her surroundings.

Draco Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. The room was filled with soft light and muted green tones, with rather ugly golden angel statues over the decorative fireplace. There were also some hideous paintings gracing the walls. It all looked expensive...but garish. There were bookshelves lining one wall, and Hermione made a mental note to check it out later.

Hermione walked into the dimly lit hallway. The lights were on, but it looked as if a few of them had gone out. A few were blinking in a rather horror-film sort of way.

Hermione made it a few doors away when she heard sounds coming from one room. The door was ajar, and she quietly opened it enough to see what was inside.

Draco Malfoy lay on top of the comforter in a huge four-poster bed. The room was done in emerald greens, and a Slytherin flag hung on the wall. Obviously, this was his actual room. There was no fireplace in the room, so that explained why she had been sleeping on a couch. Her room must have been nearer the entryway, too. She stored that information into her mind for her eventual escape.

He had a book open, lying over his chest. It rose and fell with his soft snores. He looked like he hadn't meant to fall asleep; he even still had on his shoes.

Hermione fought an internal war: The smart thing to do would be to use this opportunity to grab some clothes from the wardrobe by the bed, sneak to the kitchen and steal some food, and then get the hell out of there. Hermione doubted that the horcrux was there, seen as how Draco Malfoy was living there. No way would old Voldy put him on guard of his most important possession.

But then…he had saved her life. There was no gain in it for him; in fact, it could have gotten him in trouble with his fellow death eaters for not reporting it.

But she had no way of knowing that, did she? A group of them could be on their way as she stood there, trying to figure out what to do.

But for some reason, she just knew that wasn't the case. She didn't think someone who had dragged her in from the snow and nursed her back to health could just go ahead and kill her. And when he had put her back to sleep….

She blushed at the memory of his eye's meeting hers. Of his body almost on top of hers…his hands on her hips…

She shook her head violently. She must have hallucinated that. The problem is, it should have been an unpleasant hallucination, yet when she thought back on it…she wished it were real.

'What is wrong with me today!' Hermione thought, focusing back on the sleeping form of Draco. Sleeping, he looked so peaceful. Not at all like the cruel boy she had known for the past seven years.

Before she knew what she was doing, she was standing over him by his bedside. His hair had gotten out of place in sleep, unlike it's usual gelled back style. A spiky lock, crispy with gel, was flung over his eye, just above a purple bruise. Hermione reached out to push it back in place when she mentally gave herself a mental slap. She clutched her outreaching hand in her other hand, as if she was afraid of what it might do.

She quickly turned to the wardrobe by the bed. Opening up the large doors quietly, she chose a crisp white shirt and some black slacks. She would have to roll the sleeves and bottoms up, but it was better than nothing. She didn't even bother with the wizard robes- they'd only make her trip. She was about to select a long fleece coat when she heard a rustling from the bed. Her view being blocked by the wardrobe door, Hermione slowly closed it.

Draco was sitting up, staring at her.

"What are you doing?"

Hermione looked away sheepishly. "I, er…was going to get something to wear."

"And you didn't just wake me up and ask me like a civilized person because….you were planning on running back out into the frozen landscape without a wand again, right?"

Hermione tried vary hard not to look even more guilty than before.

"You were going to take my wand, weren't you? Fat chance- I keep it on me at all times Granger." He stood up and stretched, pushing his hair back in place.

"I, I wanted to get dressed…" Hermione mumbled.

Draco glanced down at her. "Then put that all back. My _dear aunty_ Bellatrix probably has something lying around that would fit you better." He said, dripping with sarcasm. Obviously Bellatrix was not his favorite person. In other words, he probably wasn't there because she had invited him.

Hermione grimaced. "Honestly…I think I'd rather wear this…" she said truthfully, not wanting to wear anything that awful woman had worn.

Draco snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure you would." He sighed. "Fine. But don't bother returning them. I mean ever. I don't even want them after you've worn them."

"You don't have to be all defensive." Hermione said

"Defensive? What the hell do you mean by that?"

"I mean…well, you saved me. You did something…nice. You don't have to up your usual bad-guy routine times ten just to counteract that. What are you afraid of? That I'll go around telling people you saved my life and ruin your reputation as a jerk?" she snorted "Not likely. I would rather this story _not_ go around, myself, thank you very much."

Draco rolled his eyes and turned around and walked out of the room. As he shut the door behind him he said, "Just get dressed and shut up."

***

Hermione walked out of the room and followed her nose into the kitchen. Draco was…cooking?! Who would have thought that was possible. For a moment, Hermione flashed back to her arguments with the boys. They had expected her to fix all the meals during their little mission, and it had annoyed her to no end. And here was Draco-Freakin-Malfoy, in front of a stove making…pancakes, of all things. It was all so absolutely ridiculous that she burst out laughing.

Draco turned around, startled. "What? Have you gone crazy again?"

Hermione could only shake her head. Gasping for air, she managed, "Just…nothing…nevermind…"

Just as she was able to quiet her laughter, her stomach growled. Loud.

"uh, huh. Just as I figured. You make me drag you in here, give you some clothing, and now I have to feed you, too? Pathetic."

"How long was I out for?" Hermione asked as she sat down at the table, ignoring his comment. "Sorry, I would help out…I'm just….I still don't feel up to par yet. I don't think I can stand up much longer…"

Draco's harsh look seemed to dissolve, his eyes softening. He walked over with a tray of pancakes and sat down opposite the table from Hermione. "Yeah, well…lazy Mudblood, just eat some damn food."

"Gladly." Hermione said, and began to eat faster than was all-together ladylike. She would bother with yelling at Draco about the "Mudblood" comments once she had some energy.

"To answer your question, I found you Tuesday afternoon."

"What day is it now?" Hermione asked in between bites.

"Friday morning."

Hermione almost spit out her food. "Fri..Friday!? I've been here more than two days?! Harry and Ron, they'll be so worr…" Hermione slapped her hand over her mouth, horrified.

Draco stared at her, a forkful of pancake frozen halfway from his plate to his mouth. He placed the fork back down onto the plate. "Of course, they're out here with you…I should have figured that…"

"Please, Malfoy!" Hermione cried, jumping out of her seat and stepping towards Draco. She placed a hand on his arm lying on the arm of his chair, crouching down just below his eye level. "Please, please don't tell anyone they're here. It was a slip up, I shouldn't have said anything."

Draco turned to look at her. He seemed much paler than was usual. "It wouldn't have been such a big deal, having you here. I probably wouldn't have been in too much trouble if they found out. I could have pretended you had just arrived, and I had wanted to interrogate you before sending out an owl."

Hermione shivered. This was just a cover-up story, right? Or did he really mean to…interrogate…her?

"But this…" Draco continued. "Granger, do you have any idea how much trouble I'll be in if I knowingly let Potter wander around without telling anyone I know where he is? Do you know what they'd _do_ to me?!" He sounded scared now. He was staring at his plate as if he wasn't really seeing it.

Hermione felt a pang of pity for the boy. It wasn't like he was the only one their age having a hard time. Voldemort was making everyone grow up way too fast, especially Harry, Ron, and herself.

But Draco was in a slightly different situation. Everything he had thought was good and true had turned out to be evil and wrong. It was absolutely ridiculous that he had become a death eater, but then didn't it make perfect sense? His whole family was made up of pureblood fanatics. In fact, that he would change his mind, or at least refuse to kill for Voldemort's cause, was downright amazing given his upbringing. He was stuck in the delicate situation of falling somewhere in the middle in this battle. A death eater, but a reluctant one. Even Harry felt that Draco was a victim in all this, that day when he couldn't kill Dumbledore.

"Malfoy…D, Draco? Doing the right thing, it isn't always easy or safe." She pointed to herself. "Case in point? There are those of us risking everything every day to stop all this pain Vol…He Who Must Not Be Named has caused. I'm not asking you to go out of your way to defy him, or to go all "hero" or anything. I'm just asking you to forget I said anything. Ok? Please?"

Draco looked up at her "Why? Why the hell should I risk myself for… Potter?"

"Because I know you don't really want to see anyone die. You don't want to cause anyone to die, either." She said with conviction.

Draco just continued to look up at her. His eyes weren't looking through her though: he was very focused on her, focused on what she was saying.

He reached over with his free hand and grabbed Hermione's hand, which was still grasping his arm.

Hermione could feel the tension in the room, the weight of Malfoy's decision. Such a small decision: Just forget that the chosen one was near by. And yet the consequences would be great for one of them either way he chose.

"Look, they're probably not even in the area anymore. That was days ago." Hermione tried, squeezing Draco's arm, willing him to agree.

"Right…they just gave you up for dead and left." He said, sarcastically. He sighed. "But it makes sense, them being on the run and all. They wouldn't stick around too long, right? It's only logical they would leave you behind." He smirked, obviously not buying it, but silently agreeing not to tell.

"Thank you." Hermione said quietly. She realized his hand was still covering hers, gripping it tightly. She felt her face flush red, and tried to pull her hand away. Draco tightened his grip.

"But I can't let you just run off and join them. You have to stay…here." He said, somewhat harshly.

"So, you're just going to keep me prisoner here?" Hermione exclaimed, disbelieving. How was this any better than getting captured by the enemy? Well, technically Draco was the enemy. Crap!

Draco sighed, letting go of her hand. "Just eat your damn pancakes."

"But, what do you plan to do? How can you just expect to keep me here and not have me be thoroughly pissed about it!" She all but yelled, standing up and backing to her chair.

"Look, what do I do if you get captured while fighting with your little dream team? What if they use veratiserum? I do _not_ want anyone to find out you've been here, let alone that I didn't even bother looking for Potter!"

Hermione shut her mouth suddenly and plopped down in her chair. It was true, she was already asking Draco to –gasp- put himself at risk to help others. Can she really expect more out of him? It made sense, actually. Her leaving could turn his moment of good deeds around on him, make him suffer for helping her. She just couldn't bring herself to ask more out of a guy who's giving nature is next to non-existent as it is.

But what if Ron and Harry found the mansion? No, rather, what about _when_ they find the mansion? Draco had no idea that that was exactly why they were here- he thought they were just on the run!

Hermione had a vision of Ron and Harry dodging security spells and scaling the walls to rescue her. After they couldn't find her in the snow, they would turn to their last shred of hope that she was alive: the mansion. Even if they gave her up for dead, their only option was to find the mansion, find the horcrux.

The horcrux! Why was Draco here, anyways? Not to guard it, surely. Was it in Gringotts, afterall?

Hermione gulped down a mouthful of pancake. The least she could do was check it out, see if she could find it. If it _was_ here…well, Draco be damned, it was more important she gets that Horcrux to Harry, Ron, and the sword of Gryffindor. Or is that "For the Greater Good" thinking?

Hermione didn't like that line of thinking.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Hermione grabbed both their dishes without a word when they were done, and washed them. Sure, Draco could have done it with a wave of his wand, but Hermione thought she should show gratitude in some way for the food. And she didn't have a wand.

Afterwards, Draco left the room, and Hermione followed without a word.

After a long stroll down the hall, back past what Hermione came of think of as her room, they came to a huge entry hall. The room was enormous, with a gaudy gold and crystal chandelier hanging above. The carpet was a golden color, and ran up the giant stairway across from where they came in.

And then, of course, was the door. It was a large and solid looking double door, with no windows. There were some heavily draped windows to either side of the door, letting in no light. The chandelier was turned low, and the overall effect was like something out of Dracula's castle. The room's design looked like it was mean to be bright and showy, but everything was dark. In fact, most of the house had been kept rather dark.

"What, are you hiding here or something?" Hermione asked.

Draco looked surprised. "No, why would you think that? I have a job to do here."

Hermione shook her head. "Everything is kept so dark!"

Draco smirked. "Coming from a poor muggle-born, I would think it would be obvious that electricity does not come cheap for such a big place."

It clicked then that something was very off about that. "Electricity? Like, you get a bill sent to you, you pay it, to muggles?" The image was too ridiculous. She had a picture in her head of Draco trying to work an online bill pay, and giggled. "I didn't see any power lines. And this far from any muggle communities? You must be kidding me."

Draco frowned. " We use something called _**magic**_ to transfer the energy here. It's way easier and safer to transfer electricity to wizard homes than it is for us to use magic to light the whole house. That is," he sniffed "for those of us with _substantia_l sized homes."

Hermione smacked her forehead. "I knew that! I forgot, some families do that. You don't pay muggles for the electricity directly, you pay the wizards who transfer the power over; they handle the muggle's bill. It's very pricey, but it's better than using your own wand for a place as…well, massive as this!"

Despite herself, Hermione was impressed, and felt her natural curiosity flare up. Where was the central location for filtering the electricity into the house by a magical channel? Many questions coursed through her head, and she decided to read up on it later. If there was a cheaper way, and more families could take advantage of muggle technology…

But anyways, more important things at hand. Door. That was her escape, if she needed it. She had decided to stay ask long as the benefits of not getting Draco in trouble outweigh the risks. In other words, if she found the horcrux, she was out of there.

And if Ron and Harry showed up…

Almost as if he had read her mind, Draco said, "If your boy's show up here, what the hell am I supposed to do? If they're captured, if they tell that they were here, here in my presence, and I did nothing…" he shivered. "If they show up, I have to send a message about Potter, you know that, right?"

"You can come with us!" Hermione blurted without thinking.

Draco started at her, and blinked. "Why the hell would I do that? I'm not the best death eater, but at least I don't have the fate in store that you three do! Why would I mix myself up in that pile of shit?"

"So your assuming we won't win?"

"How can you win? All this "Chosen One" bullshit! What are a goody goody muggle raised kid, a mudblood bookworm, and a poor-as-dirt boy supposed to do to stop a group of adult wizards headed by the most powerful wizard in the world?!"

Hermione didn't answer, because she couldn't. She had an answer, of course, but Draco was one of the last people she would tell about the horcrux's.

"That's what I though." He said. "I may not be on the most righteous side, but at least I'm on the _winning_ side, right?"

"Spoken like a Slytherin mascot." Hermione said, making no effort to disguise it as anything but an insult. But then something occurred to her. "You admit you're not on the right side, right? You don't really like what's been happening since…You Know Who has been in power, do you?"

Draco rolled his eyes "My heart doesn't exactly bleed for muggle borns and half bloods, no." He sighed. "But I don't think anyone wants what's been going on. It's gone a bit too far…"

"A BIT!?"

He met her eyes. "Ok, it's gone way over the line. Innocent people shouldn't _die_ for this."

"Well, what the hell did you think pure bloods being put above all other's would mean? Did you think everyone would calmly hand over their wands, make you all in charge of the world, and bow to your every whim?"

"No, well, I just wanted…"

"What, to have it confirmed, once and for all, that you were better, just because of what you were born?!" Hermione's face was red with her shouting. Draco, for his part, looked somewhat defeated.

"I don't know. I just don't know. I had always been told that's what I should want, that's all. I don't know anything anymore."

There was something in his voice that made Hermione's face soften. She took her hands off of her hips and asked in a gentle voice, "So we can at least establish that you don't want anyone getting hurt. You don't want me getting hurt, either, right? Even though I'm just a…a Mudblood, to you?"

Draco just nodded, avoiding her eyes.

Something came over Hermione, she didn't know what, but she suddenly found herself with her arms wrapped around his waist, hugging him to her. She just couldn't stand to see anyone look so pitiable, so confused and sad. Sure, he was confused about whether or not he _hated_ people just like her, but the topic didn't matter. He just looked like someone who needed a hug.

She was shocked when his arms came up and circled her shoulders, trapping her to his chest. She gave up, and laid her head against his heart, as if she was falling asleep. She did feel tired. And he was so warm and comfortable, and he actually smelled good, a clean scent, like lilac soap…

She could hear his heart. It started to beat faster as he shifted a bit back, bringing his face down to hers. What was he doing?

She jerked back, tripped over the too-long pants, and fell smack down on her butt. He had tried to _kiss_ her! Where had that come from? In fact, where had her hugging him come from? The moment had been so surreal, so unlike either of them.

He had a slight blush across his face, standing above her. She was beet red, herself.

"What was that?" She asked.

"What do you mean? What was up with you! You just grabbed me out of nowhere!"

"So you thought that was the "all clear" to _kiss_ me!?"

Draco's blush deepened, and he covered up his embarrassment in his usual way, with insults. "Oh, please! You fall all over me, and for a minute I forgot you're a mudblood! Cooped up here, it's feels like forever since I've seen a _real_ witch! Who could blame me for a momentary weakness? Like I'd ever actually be interested in someone like _you_." He said, sneering down at her.

Hermione stood up, angrily. "And like I could ever think of comforting someone as shallow, annoying, and simple-minded as you!"

And with that she stomped out of the room. Like hell she was going to continue her little household tour with Malfoy! She would search for the horcrux in her own time, and if it was there, she was getting the hell out!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

She decided to return to the room she had been staying in. It was a small library actually, and so it was somewhat funny that Draco had decided to put her there. She decided to bide her time looking through the books, waiting for Draco to fall asleep so she could tour her…well, prison…in peace.

She perused the books on the shelves, and was surprised to find they were not entirely dark in nature. Some textbooks, different from those their class had used at Hogwarts, were on the shelves, and Hermione selected one of those. Her magic purse, filled with all her favorite and most useful books, was sadly back in camp. But for now she would make due with these. Perhaps there would be something useful in a dark wizard's home pertaining to horcrux's?

After several hours in front of the magically continuously roaring fireplace Hermione began to feel hungry again. She looked up to find, to her surprise, that it was already dark outside. She had read the whole day away, but of course that was nothing new to Hermione Granger.

She plopped the last book on the pile in disgust; it had been a particularly nasty one about dark curses, and it was not something to read while eating. She stood up and stretched her cramped body, and proceeded to head towards the kitchen.

She tip toed as she passed the closed door to what she knew was Draco's room. After what happened-whatever the hell that was- she didn't want to run into him. How was she going to avoid him until…until the war ended? Until he let her go? Until she found the horcrux and escaped? She had no idea.

She was just happy the door was closed. She flashed back to when she had seen him sleeping earlier. He had seemed almost…cute. She shook her head. That was not a word to describe Draco Malfoy. She didn't want to see him sleeping again, didn't want to fall into a false sense of security about him. He was not one of the good guys. Maybe he wasn't exactly one of the bad guys, either, but he was not a good guy.

The kitchen was all dark, and she reached for the switch. Yes, switch. Electricity via magic. A really useful idea for witches who lost their wands.

The bright light filled the room, and Hermione walked over to the refrigerator. It was big, and expensive looking, but defiantly very, very old. Old-fashioned, like most wizard things, yet running on electricity. Digging through the shelves, Hermione sighed and chose an apple. There wasn't much left. Draco should really multiply his food stocks, or they were not going to make it much longer on what was left. If only she had a wand…by herself, she couldn't make any kind of meal out of what was left.

She took a big bite out of the apple, and turned with the intention of checking the cupboards. That's when she saw him.

He was leaning very nonchalantly against the doorframe, relaxed as if he didn't have a care in the world. His arms were crossed, and he was looking right at her.

Hermione swallowed the apple piece, and licked the juice from her lips. Determined to seem just as nonchalant, Hermione advised "You know, you really should do a simple food multiplier geminio spell sometime soon…"

"I know. But I only had one apple left." Draco said, stalking into the room closer to her.

"I, look, there wasn't anything to eat, and I don't have a wand, or I would have made extra…sorry…" Hermione said, her sentence drifting off as Draco walked forward towards her. She felt her back hit the edge of the counter. She couldn't go any further.

Draco kept striding forward, slowly, until he was almost pressed up against her.

Hermione couldn't stop her heart from pounding. What was wrong with her? This guy didn't care about her! If he was hitting on her at all, it was only because she was the only one around! And this was Draco Malfoy, after all! He was supposed to repulse her! By his own admission, she repulsed him!

Then why didn't she stop him when he placed both hands on the counter on either side of her, trapping her in place? His hands brushed her sides slightly, and her heart sped up. This was not how this should go down. She should be struggling to get away from him! What did he think he was doing, anyways? Did he think…since she was his prisoner…that he'd be free too…? No way!

She placed both hands on his chest, still gripping the apple. Her face was red, and she managed to sputter "St..stop."

His face was inches from hers, and it was all she could do not to close the gap and brush her lips against his light pink one's. She couldn't stop staring at his lips, but as he spoke she managed to look up into his eyes.

"Stop what, Granger?" he whispered. His eye's met hers, and she almost gave up. Almost.

She mentally reproached herself. 'Draco Malfoy!' she thought. 'He's just _using_ you! Why the hell would you be turned on by him!?'

She pushed harder on his chest, urging him away from her. She had higher standards than this! I mean, she wasn't about to let him use her like this! Even if she wanted to use him, too…No! Stop that! She shut her eyes, continuing to push back on his chest, her head lowered so she wouldn't be in kissing range.

He surprised her by backing up a step. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. Her hands were now just lightly resting on his chest, one hand gripping the bitten apple, the other his white crisp shirt.

"Sorry…" he whispered. Hermione found herself surprised once again. Draco Malfoy, apologizing to her? "I don't know what came over me. I won't hurt you." He soothed.

He thought he had scared her! And he was _sorry_ about it! "I didn't mean…I won't do anything to you. Your safe here, ok?"

Hermione was dumbstruck, gaping up at him. She couldn't think of anything to say. 'No problem, I would actually like for you to take me right here, right now, in the kitchen?' What the hell was wrong with her! Ah! Bad Hermione!

No, she didn't want that, not with him. Or so said the logical part of her brain, the part that had pushed him away.

Draco reached up slowly, as if afraid he'd scare her away, and gripped the hand that was holding the apple. He looked deep into her eyes.

"Your getting apple all over my shirt, and it's not cheap." He whispered.

It was so out of place that she started laughing. She laughed in a way that was probably not all-together healthy sounding, and tears sprang to her eyes. She pulled her hands from his front and wrapped them around her stomach as she cracked up.

Looking a little worried, Draco asked "Er, what's so funny?"

"Just…" she gasped for air, "Your _shirt_!? Really? _Now_?"

He actually smiled in a way that wasn't vulgar or stuck-up. He looked nice with a genuine smile. "Well, not that you'd know anything about quality clothing, yourself." And he let out a little laugh. There was no real malice in his comment; it actually came across as rather…cute.

She smiled back at him. As their eyes met once again, his smile started to fade. He suddenly looked serious.

He grabbed the hand with the apple in it again, and slowly raised it.

Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat, and her own smile melted. He raised the apple slowly to his mouth, and took a bite next to hers. He let go of her hand, but she felt frozen in place, the apple still raised. She watched him slowly lick the juice from his lips, and wanted to do it for him…Bad! Bad Hermione!

"That was my last apple." He said simply, turned around, and walked out, leaving Hermione stunned.

***

Hermione sat back down on her couch in the library, picked up a book, and stared at the words without comprehending. She hadn't looked for more food. She had just walked back down the hall to her room, past the shut door of Draco's room.

God. Had that really just happened? It was all she could think about. She kept re-playing the scene over and over in her mind. Draco had worried that he had scared her! That meant he hadn't thought he could take advantage of her just because she was his prisoner, right? So…what was he doing? What was _she_ doing? Did he…feel something for her? He had saved her life, after all. Of course, not wanting someone dead was a far cry from liking someone.

Hermione put the book down, defeated, and stretched out on the couch. She put the small throw pillow over her face and shut her eyes tight. Maybe she had a thing for bad boys? But she had always thought of Draco as a whiney bother, or at the very least a tragic case of bad family socialization, rather than a "bad boy."

How could she have been so…_turned on_ by a guy that takes every opportunity to insult her? They hate each other, don't they? Isn't she just a disgusting "Mudblood" to him?

Or is insulting others just so ingrained into his nature that he can't help himself? She'd like to believe that, as it just made him seem pitiable rather than despisable, but for seven years he had tortured her and her friends. How can she ignore seven years, which have built up her better instincts about Draco, just because he kept trying to get close to her? Trying to kiss her…

She lowered the pillow and touched her lips. The only boy she had kissed was Victor Krumb, as embarrassing as that was for her to admit. So, she wasn't very experienced with these feelings…God, she was 17! She should have done more than just kissed! And just once before?

I guess when your busy trying to stop your friends from doing stupid life-threatening things, or helping them fight great evils, you don't have a lot of time for boys.

Except for Ron, that is. He's always there.

Ron.

Sigh.

She just felt awkward, enough to run into a snowstorm, when the subject of the two of them was breached. She had thought she liked him for the longest time, but what did she know? She was the one-time kiss virgin! Ah!

She covered her face with the pillow and let out an exasperated yell.

Then what in the hell was she doing with Draco? With a guy she didn't even _like,_ let alone _love_!

She thought about his smile and laugh in the kitchen, and wondered about that. Maybe she didn't love him, but maybe she kinda liked him…she liked discovering that he had a good side, _cute_ even!

There was a second blanket draped over the couch, and she pulled it over herself. Her green blanket/snake (uh, hallucinations! She was still so embarrassed!) was still on the floor in Draco's room, where she took it off to get dressed.

Dressed. She was still in Draco's oversized clothes. They had that same lilac soapy smell as him.

With that thought, she drifted off to sleep, dreaming once again of vague images of gray eyes and apples.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

When she woke up the next morning, she felt warm snuggled in the baggy clothes and blankets, and didn't want to get up. The soft light was pouring in though the curtains, and it occurred to her that she had no idea what time it was. But she was sure this was day three in the Malfoy house. Ok, Lestrange house. Whatever.

Day three. And she still hadn't explored the house! She sat straight up.

The horcrux could be easily within sight, in any room of the house! She hadn't even bothered to look. She felt ashamed of herself.

OK, so for two days she had been delirious with fever, but yesterday…she had been delirious with something else.

It was time to get to work.

She stood up, and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She badly needed a shower and a brush. Her hair was a mess. She would work on that, after searching for the horcrux. She was a girl on a mission, and her hair could wait.

She decided to start at the entryway she had seen yesterday. Was it only yesterday? It seemed like forever ago.

The big rooms made her feel like she should be wearing shoes. Standing around in baggy clothes and socks in an entryway that looked more like a ballroom made her feel out of place.

There were two doorways, other than the front one, plus the staircase. Hermione decided to try the stairs, curving upward to the second level of the house. Ski Lodge. Mansion. Whatever.

Upstairs none of the lights were on. Obviously Draco was not using the upstairs. In fact, Hermione still didn't know why he was there. Was he guarding the horcrux? If so-not that she was complaining-he wasn't doing a great job.

She went right at the top of the stairs, and moved down the hallway. She explored for a long time, through everything from servants quarters to a bedroom she was fairly certain belonged to Bellatrix.

She found many objects that seemed dark in nature, and was careful not to touch any or trip any spells. Without her wand, she was at the mercy of whatever spell came her way.

It had to have been a full two hours when she decided to call it a day and get some breakfast. She didn't want Draco wondering where she was and find her riffling though his aunt's underwear drawer or anything. She couldn't explain what she was searching for, afterall.

The hall seemed like it would circle around if she followed it, and so she headed forward. It was very dark here, and Hermione ran her hand along the wall to make sure she didn't trip. If her sense of space was at all in tune, the staircase should have been just ahead.

That was the last thing she thought before she felt the wall go all sticky. The sticky substance refused to let go of her hand. It was bad that she couldn't see. It was bad that she didn't have a wand. It was a very, very bad situation.

Hermione pulled as hard as she could, and the substance released her. She smacked into the wall opposite the trap, and released a sigh of relief. That would have been horrible! Who knows what would have….have…

She tried to stand up straight. No use. Now her whole side was stuck to the opposite wall.

"Shit!" She said out loud.

She knew she shouldn't do what she did next. She knew it. But what is your natural instinct in this situation? She put her hand on the wall and tried to push herself fully upright.

She looked at her hand, horrified. Her other arm was pinned to the wall, along with the side of her head and thigh. And now she didn't even have her free hand!

'ok, calm down.' She thought to herself. She took a deep breath. Panicking would only make it worse. This was a simple tacky-trap. Not the most legal security spell, but certainly effective. It usually didn't just trap the victim, but tended to suffocate them as well. But that was if they panicked and got more tangled up in it.

Hermione closed her eyes and stayed very, very still. She thought about all that she had read about getting out of this mess. Every option involved a wand.

'If I stay still...then what? It won't get me out of this! But it won't get me killed, either.' She thought.

She was still trying to think herself out of the situation when the sticky mass _moved_. A shiver traveled down Hermione's spine. It moving was a bad sign. It meant it wasn't just a tacky-trap. There was some dark modification to this trap, and she was sure she didn't want to find out what it was meant to do.

The black stickiness started to quiver and vibrate. The pulsating made it move further and further up her skin. She watched in horror as her hand disappeared in the black mass right in front of her eyes.

To hell with staying still! To hell with not panicking! This was a panic-inducing situation!

She screamed, loud and echoing in the large empty house.

The blackness swallowed her arm, and a large portion moving over her stomach and back met at her other side, closing around her middle. Then it began to squeeze, as if trying to pull her flat to the wall, into the wall itself even! Breathing became harder and harder.

She was beginning to see stars out of her one eye not covered by blackness when she saw Draco burst from the shadows with a pinpoint of light at the end of his wand.

He had a scared but determined look on his face.

The black goo coated her mouth, stifling the new scream that was pouring from her. She fought to breath in through her nose, but in an instance that was covered as well.

She felt a strong hand rip at the covering on her mouth. It gave way reluctantly, attaching to the hand instead.

"How do I stop it?" Draco asked, holding his wand in his left hand far away from the goo.

She would have said something smart-assed, like "A trap in your own home, and you don't know how to stop it?" but she didn't think wasting words would be smart. Instead, she gasped "Aquamenti," using the last of the air left in her lungs. The squeezing continued, and she heard something snap and a sharp pain in her ribs.

Draco yelled "Aquamenti!" and a jet of water hit the goo. It instantly began to dissolve. But because it could move, it almost looked like a dieing thing as it shriveled and melted to the ground.

Hermione collapsed, drawing in a ragged, heavy breath of air. It hurt to breath. She breathed anyways, of course, frantically and deeply.

Tears were streaming down her face at this point. She noticed a small piece of black left on her shirtfront and ripped at it frantically.

"Hold still dammit! Aquamenti!" Draco said, and sprayed away the last bit of the monstrosity.

Hermione gave one look at the remains of soggy blackness on the carpet at sprang forward to the kneeling Draco Malfoy. She threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his collar.

"Oh my god! That was so stupid! So stupid!" She cried, gasping in between most of the words. She was sure she had broken a rib, but holding onto someone felt more important than staying still and not hurting right now.

"Yeah, it _was_ pretty stupid!" Draco yelled, but he brought his arms around her, hesitantly. He finally held her tightly.

"I just..I can't believe I touched it…thank you…again."

"Yeah, this makes what, two times in the past three days? How often do you almost get your self killed in a usual week?"

Hermione laughed, and it hurt. "Well, I don't know about in a week, but with my life a few times a year isn't so unusual."

She was able to breath a bit better now, but it still hurt a lot. She knew a broken rib was nothing to scoff at- it could puncture something. But just for a few minutes more she wanted to be comforted, even if it was with insults.

The two sat in silence for a moment, when Hermione began shivering. No fireplaces were lit up here, and she was all wet.

"Soaking wet, again, I see. Let's try and avoid seeing snake-blankets and such this time, ok? Let's get you warm before you get sick." Draco's voice was gentler-he had finished yelling at her.

Hermione was still pressed against him. She breathed in his scent again, and nuzzled her face into his neck.

He took in a sharp breath.

She didn't care what her brain was telling her at the moment. She felt safe, and where his arms touched her she was warm.

Her lips brushed the small crevice where neck meets shoulder. His skin was soft, and she pressed her lips against it, kissing him gently. Her reached up from his shoulder to touch his hair. It was hard from gel, but felt just right in between her fingers.

His breath came faster. In a shaky voice he asked "Granger…what are you doing?"

She stopped cold. What was she doing?

It occurred to her that she was freezing, and that her rib was on fire. She pulled back from Draco, shaking her head. "I…nevermind. I think I need a healing spell. Do you know "episki?"

"I never practiced it. Healing spells are 7th year stuff. Where are you hurt?" His voice was suddenly firm, back in control.

Hermione almost burst into fresh tears as a pang of pain ran through her and she said, "I think it broke my rib."

"_That's_ what that crack was? Ew…"

"Ew?" Hermione fought back laughter. Laughter hurt.

Draco was silent for a moment, kneeling beside her. In a quiet voice he asked, "Can you do it? The healing spell?"

Hermione frowned. "Of course I can do it."

Draco chuckled. "Of course, your Hermione-fricking-Granger, after all. Whatever was I thinking?" He looked serious again. "Here." He held out his wand to her.

Hermione started at it, the looked to Draco's eyes. He was trusting her with his wand? He was leaving himself defenseless? For all he knew, she could heal herself and apparate the hell out of there.

But she knew she wouldn't. She should. But she wouldn't. That had been established a while ago.

She reached out and grasped his wand, turning the tip towards the spot on her, which felt like thousand of ants were biting her. She laid down to get the proper angle, and said "Episki." She felt a warm sensation as the bone stitched itself back together again, followed by coldness in the rib. Yes, with magic, it really was that easy. She had no idea how she had survived three days without hers. Oh, right. She knew exactly how.

She handed the wand back to Draco, looking him square in the eyes. He nodded and stood.

She stood up too, testing out her rib. No more pain.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Draco raised the lit wand in front of him and led the way down the hall. He grabbed Hermione's hand and held it behind him at the small of his back, making sure she stayed behind him and away from the walls. He led her back towards the stairs, as she had thought, and towards the familiar hallway where they slept and ate. She realized she was cold, and was shivering in her soaked clothing by the time they reached the bottom of the stairs. Neither of them said a word.

He led her past "her" room, and stopped at a door on the other side of the hall, pulling it open. It was a bathroom. No, that would be an understatement. It was enormous! Ok, Maybe not as big as she had heard the prefect's bathroom was, but a marble bathtub built into the floor in the center of the room looked almost big enough to swim in.

"Wait here. Go ahead and get in, I'll try and find some clothes and a towel for you." And with that, he left.

'Go ahead and get in?' she thought, kinda worried. OK, he had seen her in her underwear before, but this wasn't the same life-or-death situation.

The room included a large mirror across from the bath, and Hermione could see her ragged self.

She looked like a dirty puppy left out in the rain. Her hair was wet, but not wet enough to go flat; just wet enough to look a mess. The baggy clothes hung limp around her, and the white shirt had become very see-through. Figures.

She decided to stop procrastinating and just get in the damn tub. She was cold and looked like shit, and damn it, she needed a bath. The months of camping had not been kind to her hygiene, either. A bath in something other than a frigid lake was overdo.

Hermione went over to the tap, and had barely touched it when water filled the tub, and ugly golden swan spit lilac-scenting bubbles out all over. By the time she was undressed, the bubbles were about a foot thick over the surface of the water.

Sinking into the tub, she let out a sigh of relief. She was warm, and bubbles covered her up more than normal clothes, so she didn't have to worry about Malfoy's return with the towel and clothes. Honest. No worries. Right?

She dunked down below the surface of the water, smoothing back her hair and she came up. She looked in the mirror, satisfied with the way her hair lay flat on her head when it was wet. She was clearing bubbles from her face when she heard a knock.

"Are you in?" Draco asked from behind the door.

"Uh, yeah."

The door clicked as Draco opened it, fluffy things in his arms. He walked to a bench pressed against the wall next to the tub. He was forcefully not looking down at the tub, staring down at the towel and robe as if they were the only interesting things in the room.

"I'll have some new clothes on your bed." Draco said, looking back towards the door. "I didn't think about it last night…for obvious reasons….but you don't have to sleep on that hard couch. It just happened to be the closest, warmest room available when I found you. There's a guest room down the hall; I'll show you when you're done." And with that he left.

Hermione had been sitting down in the tub with the bubbles all the way up to her face, but Draco never glanced over. Most would probably take this to mean he didn't give a shit about whether someone _like her_ was naked in the same room as him. Hermione decided to just take it as he was being a gentleman. She had decided, since he had saved her life twice now, that she would start taking the better of two options when analyzing his actions. It would drive her less crazy, that way.

After she felt she was sufficiently clean, she got out and dried off with the ridiculously fluffy white towel. She didn't know what to do with it or the old clothes, so she folded them and set them on the bench.

She put on the green robe (ugh, there was a Slytherin crest on it!), and opened the door. Draco was leaning against the wall, waiting outside.

His eyebrows rose when he saw her, and his eyes traveled down, seemingly of their own accord. He cleared his throat, and managed "Green looks good on you," before he turned and led the way to the guest room.

Hermione made a face at that comment and padded behind him in her bare feet. She entered the room behind him. It was just before the kitchen, a couple doors down from Draco's room.

The guest room was done in burgundy. Yes, burgundy. She turned and looked at Draco.

He shrugged. "I figured you'd like this room best. It's a bit smaller than the others, though…"

Hermione grinned. He had chosen it _specifically_ because he knew she'd like the Gryffindor color. Even though he'd said she 'looked good in green.' She had no idea why this made her so giddy.

On the bed was a stack of clothes, black slacks and a green shirt. She lifted them up and saw that they were big. Draco's. He had remembered she didn't want to wear Bellatrix's things.

She looked over to him, grinning.

"What the hell is that look for, Granger?" Draco asked, looking a bit perplexed.

"Nothing." She said.

He walked over, closer to her. "Are you feeling better? I mean, done almost dieing, now, are we?"

"Yeah…thank you again." She whispered, the grin dropping into a more serious face.

"So…about earlier…"

"Earlier?"

"When you were hugging me…again."

Hermione blushed. Why would he bring that up?! Where was his tact? Couldn't he tell that embarrassed the hell out of her?

He stepped closer, placing a hand on her arm. He leaned down to look at her eye level.

"Granger, let's just be frank. What is it you want from me? Do you want me to leave you alone, or…. what?" She avoided his eyes, and he bent in a way to meet her eyes in the new direction she was looking. "You keep changing your mind, and I don't want to do anything that you don't want…but I don't even know what that is."

Hermione barked out a little laugh. "Why is it you care, now, about what would hurt me? Seven years of going out of your way to hurt me and my friends, and now your worried you might _offend_ me by kissing me?" She felt her eyes grow wet, and blinked rapidly. Crying would be stupid! She had only been like this- whatever the hell "this" was- with Draco for two days. Two days, and she was crying over him? Like hell!

She turned her tears into anger the best she could, her eyebrows furrowing together. "What is wrong with you? Not 48 hours ago you said, and I quote, "You don't have anything I'd want to see anyways, Mudblood."

Her face fell. "What the hells wrong with me, too?"

Draco listened silently to her rant. Hermione looked at him expectantly, waiting for an explanation. She was absolutely furious with herself when she felt the first tear fall. Damn it!

This was ridiculous! She wasn't getting answers out of him! Why would he care? It doesn't make sense! People don't just change overnight; he never cared about her before.

Suddenly he was there, leaning down with his lips brushing hers. She felt his warm breath on her face, and leaned forward enough to press her lips against his. His head turned a little so his mouth could move with hers, and before she knew what was happening his arms where around her, their kiss deepening.

She placed her arms around his waist, her hands on his lower back, pressing him to her. She felt like the world was spinning, and she suddenly forgot what she had been saying.

What exactly was her argument for _not_ doing this?

She didn't have a clue anymore.

His tongue made it's way across her lower lip softly, and she parted her mouth to let him deepen their kiss. She felt him exploring her mouth, and with that she ran one of her hands up the back of his shirt, feeling his skin.

He tasted so sweet, and he still smelled so good. The kiss became more frantic, and she found herself sitting on the edge of the bed with him leaning down, still kissing her. His arms moved from her shoulders to the bed, pushing her down with the movement.

His mouth moved from her lips to her cheek, and up to her ear. He was breathing hard as he kissed her again and again, and growled near her ear "You have _lots_ I'd like to see, actually, Granger."

Hermione found herself lying on the bed at this point, with her legs dangling off at her knees. Draco was on top of her on his hands and knees, one leg still partly off the bed with the knee pressed in between her legs.

The robe was looser now, and the neckline drooped lower and lower. Draco cupped the side of Hermione's face with one hand, using the other to keep himself up. He moved now to kiss along her neck, drifting softly lower. He moved her head slightly so it would be easier.

Hermione's eyes fluttered closed and she gasped as his lips reached her collarbone, moving across it slowly.

Her own hands worked their way up his back further and further, and on a sudden whim she pulled the collared shirt from his head without bothering to undo any buttons.

The movement interrupted Draco's work for a moment, and as soon as the shirt was gone he pressed himself close to her body, pushing them both further up onto the bed.

He moved back to her lips, and they were soon both gasping for air.

Her robe was coming open slowly, the belt of it unknotting. She felt something hard press against her lower body and gasped. She knew this was going to far, but she pushed the thought to the back of her mind. She wanted so bad to just let go, just do something stupid and worry about the consequences later. She moved against him, and he let out a groaning noise. Their lips parted as Draco moved lower once again, closer to what lay under the drooping neckline of her robe. This time he was moving quicker, less patient.

That's when she saw it.

The Dark Mark.

She knew it was there already, but out of sight, out of mind, right?

It was very much in sight, on his left forearm placed by her head. It made her blood run cold.

That's when she realized that this wasn't just stupid because Malfoy had always been cruel too her.

It wasn't stupid because she was about to lose her virginity to someone who didn't love her.

It wasn't even stupid because Ron and Harry would be so upset.

It was stupid because there were bigger issues at hand, and lives were in the balance. It was stupid because Draco Malfoy was still part of enemy, and if directly commanded would probably do whatever he needed too to stay alive. That's just the kind of person he was. A Slytherin through and through.

Draco sensed the sudden change in the atmosphere and slowly looked up. Hermione looked from his arm to his face.

It dawned on him what was going on, and he backed off the bed.

Hermione sat up, using her elbows for support.

They were both still breathing hard, and Hermione could still feel the pressure of Draco's lips on hers.

Draco ran a hand through his hair, putting it back in place. He realized he was doing so with his left hand, looked at it, and dropped it to his side.

Hermione sat up all the way, rather stiffly, as she adjusted her robe. Now that she could get a good look at Draco, she decided she liked him without a shirt. Seaker's weren't meant to be muscular, and Draco was no exception to the rule. But he looked nice, anyways. Pale, smooth, and slim. Her eyes raked over him, and she had to close her eyes hard and give herself a mental pep-talk.

"This is…bad, Draco." She started, opening her eyes again and looking at him.

He sat down in a chair by the wall opposite her, and just nodded.

"We can't we can't we CAN'T do this!" she said, each "Can't" getting a bit louder.

"You were crying." He said. Hermione took a moment to figure out what he was talking about. It wasn't what she expected him to say.

"Yes. Well. I don't know why. You said you wanted to know what I want? Well, what I _want_ isn't important! That's what the real problem is. Even if by some miracle you aren't just using me as a one time fling, even if you don't plan on returning to hating me in the morning…." He looked like he wanted to interrupt, but Hermione continued on, not wanting to hear him say what he wanted to say, "I will regret doing this. We are too different. You are against everything I believe in, and visa versa. I think the only thing we truly agree on in this whole war is that people shouldn't suffer. The way they are suffering. That's not enough. In fact, before Vold- er, whatever, the big bad jackass wizard- came around I would have thought that not wanting people to die was a given for most people, anyways."

She stared at him. "You're in too deep. So am I. If it comes down to it, you'll do what you're ordered to do to save your own ass. If it comes down to it, I would fight anyone- _anyone_- who came in the way of us stopping _him_."

"Such a poster child of Gryffindor."

Hermione was surprised at him turning around her own comments about him back at her. Yes, they were both so characteristic of their houses.

"And you just know everything about everyone and everything, don't you, Granger?" He asked, his voice going cold, and somewhat scary.

"What do you mean?' she asked in a quiet voice. Inside, she was screaming, 'Tell me I'm wrong! Explain to me that you won't hate me later, that you were wrong in the past! Tell me you'll come with me, escape from the horrible path you're tied to! Trust me and believe that the good guys can win! Say that you love me…' she thought, surprised at the last part. But it was true, that's what she wanted him to say. All of it.

"WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO?!" he yelled, blowing up for real for the first time since Hermione had known him. He stood up as he yelled, and Hermione crawled backwards fast until she was almost to the other side of the bed before she knew what she was doing.

Draco's face was red, and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. In a voice slightly quieter and slightly calmer, he said, "You don't know anything about me, so don't go analyzing me. I was born to be someone big, important. Then came the boy who was famous for doing absolutely nothing but somehow stopped the wizard my family looked up to. And then the half-bloods and muggle borns who were praised by the teachers above me and other's like me. It all made me so angry. I thought that not only was I not being given the attention I deserved, but that in actuality most teachers at that school were against me. Because my family was filled with death eaters."

Hermione just looked at him. He was angry because he thought the teachers and others were not treating him special? Him not being treated as someone worth more made him feel like he had been cheated? How pretentious, to just expect everyone else would think you were better. But then, he had used past tense.

"I just…when I saw what was happening, I thought 'It's all for the overall best,' you know? Like our goals, making sure those who belonged on top stayed there was worth eliminating those who got in our way. It's created a…well, would "witch-hunt' be the right word? Everyone has to prove their blood status, and those who can't have their wands snapped. That wasn't so bad. But when they started shuttling half-bloods off to Azkaban for "stealing magic…" he drifted off. "I guess I can't just sit here and go through everything. There's too much. And I'm preaching to the choir, am I not?"

"Where was the line for you, Draco? When did you decide that it was wrong? How is it that small acts of cruelty and inequality were ok for you, and you accepted it as it built and built? Where was everyone as this all escalated? You can't allow for hate to grow, because this is what ultimately comes of it. All the time." Hermione's face was full of determination. She wanted him to understand. He needed to know that things didn't just start going wrong, that his beliefs had always been inherently flawed. In general, to change someone's worldview was a nearly impossible task. But the seed had been planted; from the moment he discovered he couldn't kill an innocent man for his cause…

"Draco?" she asked, making sure she had his full attention. He walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, now opposite her. He turned so he was facing her.

"What about me?" She asked. That was what it all came down too. The real reason she couldn't believe in him. She was one of the victims in the world of his "cause," after all.

"What do you mean? I rescued you. Twice." He added, a slight smile appearing against his will. He tried his best to keep looking angry despite it.

"So you don't want me dead? And I think we've established that there are things about me…that you like." She said, blushing, holding the top of the robe closed with her hands. "But what place would I have if the death eaters win? Do you think I belong in Azkaban? Or that my wand should be snapped? Should I be just a servant to pure-bloods? What am I to you?"

Draco sighed, and grabbed his shirt off the floor. "Look, for what it's worth there's no nefarious scheme behind this: I just can't seem to help myself around you. I can't answer these questions. Talking about you, and you only…I just don't know anymore. I'd like it if…if I could stay with you. If things were just normal, I'd probably ask you to...to go to the Yule ball, or go with me to Hogsmead or something like that. But things can't be that way between us."

"You mean…you would want to date me? A serious date?" The corner of Hermione's mouth turned up unwillingly into a slight smile at the funny mental picture.

Draco just stared at her, his shirt back in place. "What kind of guy do you think I am, exactly? Didn't I tell you I didn't want to hurt you, that I wouldn't do anything you didn't want? Haven't I been a perfect gentleman the whole time you've been here?"

"Well, besides the sneering remarks…"

"I wasn't raised to take advantage of girls, Granger. I wouldn't lead you on, and I think what we almost did would qualify as me saying that _I like you_, ok?"

"I don't know how it happened, but I rather like you too, Draco."

"Rather like?" he asked, grinning. "What's not to like? I'm a perfect catch! Rich, good-looking…"

"If you say 'great personality' you can't blame me if I laugh."

Draco laughed, standing up and adjusting the collar of his shirt. "Yeah, we're both pretty messed up, huh?"

Hermione laughed with him. "That's for sure." She walked around the bed to cut him off before he could walk out of the room. "So what have we agreed on here, exactly?"

"That I need some time to think. And that we are both horrible matches for each other."

"And yet that we both are attracted to each other like peanut butter and jelly?"

Draco snorted a laugh. "What a strange analogy. You're kinda cute, you know?"

There was that word again.


	9. Chapter 9

So, you all thought it would be that easy, huh? In any case, sorry to torture you a bit longer. .

***********************************************************************

Chapter 9

The two made their way to the kitchen at the insistence of Hermione's suddenly audible stomach. She hadn't eaten much in the past three days. Of course, she took the time to get dressed first. With Draco outside the room. Jeez, what kind of girl do you think she is?

Draco multiplied up some food and cooked simple spaghetti. Hermione tried to make herself useful, setting the table (which took about 2 seconds.)

For some reason, even after the heavy conversation which followed the hot and heavy previous events, the two were in pretty good spirits. It was as if by just admitting that they liked each other -and that that it was so utterly hilarious it was sad- they were able to just ignore their problems and relax.

Ignoring the perfect impossibility that was their newfound relationship….friendship? No, ignore the annoying questions and complications and just let him think!

Hermione was a big believer in thinking time, so ignoring the problems and letting Draco think through them on his own sounded great. He needed to figure out who he was, and what he believed in.

In the meantime, however, he was no longer alone in this big house.

"And then, my mother said "Galleon? A Gallon of what?" Hermione said

.

Draco snorted and grabbed his cloth napkin to avoid spilling his drink all over the table.

"Wow. Must be hard, not having parents that understand, well, _anything_ about your world."

Hermione smiled. _Her_ world. She was included. That was a start, right? Stop! No analyzing!

She smiled. "Sometimes. But it just means that I get the best of both worlds. I get to learn about being a witch _and_ about muggle things." The look on his face made her say "There _are_ good things about being muggle-born, you know. Internet, cell phones, burglar alarms that don't aim to kill…I study hard, so I know plenty about the wizarding world too. It's not like I lose out on anything by being muggle-born."

"Well, you can't learn everything about being born a witch or wizard from books, you know."

Hermione thought about the Weasleys, and had to agree. "Ok, yeah. I'll admit, the complexities of Quidditch and its popularity avoid me." Draco's eyebrows rose at that, and his mouth opened in a gesture she recognized as one of a wizard about to go into a long story about why Quidditch was great. She moved on, quickly. "AND, I don't know much about wizard bands. I don't know about games wizard children play, or about the toys others reminisce about. But I have been a witch for seven years, and I think I'm doing a pretty good job catching up."

Draco smiled. "Yeah, I guess. At least, when it comes to wand work you beat out most of our class…" He looked away sheepishly "…sorry I've never admitted that before."

Hermione smiled and took another bite of dinner. She swallowed, and said "Yeah, well, your not so bad yourself. You're not bad at Quidditch, either, though I admit I never actually saw many of the games where Slytherin won."

"Ouch. Yeah, I suppose you only followed Gryffindor, huh? We did win some of those games, you know."

Hermione decided not to point out that it wasn't always (ever) a fair win.

That was the floodgate, the worst that could happen: He began to talk Quidditch. Ugh!

But Hermione smiled and nodded. Having her two male best friends on the Quidditch team, she was used to it. If Draco knew how much he could sound like Ron or Harry on this subject….

She didn't even want to think about what he'd say- or do- if they showed up now.

Even though she didn't understand much about Quidditch, listening to Draco go on about it made her feel cozy, somehow. She missed and worried about her boys, and the familiar talk calmed her.

The two had finished their meals, and as Hermione walked over and did dishes in the sink, Draco continued with what he was sure was a compelling story of some great summer Quidditch game. At some point, he seemed to realize that he had talked for too long, and cleared his throat.

"Sorry. I don't have a lot of people to talk Quidditch too. And you had even said you weren't interested. But why not! It has everything…"

After a few more minutes Hermione had the dishes put away and turned to him. With her staring down at him, Draco said "and who wouldn't love the….oh…right..sorry."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. It's nice to here about Quidditch fever now and then."

Draco grinned.

"Would you like to have that _guided_ tour of the mansion, now?"

"And how would that help me when you don't know how to deactivate the traps?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "They're sensitive to Malfoy blood. When one of my family is within five feet, they won't activate in the first place."

"Oh." Hermione said. "Then I should stick close to you, huh?"

"That's the idea. Why would you have wandered off on your own in the first, place, anyways? You weren't trying to run away- you know where the door is."

Hermione squirmed. She couldn't think of a good excuse. "I…I just can't explain myself, Draco."

His grin fading, he nodded. "Ok, I suppose to keep the peace we both have some secrets to keep, huh? Looking for something?"

He was much sharper than Hermione remembered. She shook her head.

"Nevermind. I can assume you've seen the upstairs, right? Then I'll show you the rest of this floor."

"Is that all there is to the house?"

Draco stared at her.

"…Just out of curiosities sake…"

He lifted his eyebrows.

"Innocent" wasn't working, so she tried playing the "sweet" card.

"Please?"

He sighed, loudly.

"We have a wine cellar, of course, who doesn't? Then there's just the cabin."

"Cabin?"

"Well, yeah. Sort of a "camping" experience, about a half hour by broom. Malfoy property is anti-apparating. "

"Your property extends a _half hour_, by _broom_?!"

Draco appreciated impressing people, and grinned again. "We are not your average level of rich, we Malfoy's."

"I guess not!" She said, awed in spite of herself. How could anyone have that much disposable income?"

"Then shall I give you the tour?"

She nodded.

It took about an hour to cover the first floor, which included multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, a poolroom, and a fully loaded kitchen. Not like the little kitchen they had been using, no, this one was industrial, set up for multiple cooks. Or house elves. She didn't like that thought, but it's not like it would be any better than Hogwarts, she admitted to herself bitterly.

The hallway led to a large dining room, which broke off into the kitchen. Draco opened a door in the dining room that Hermione had taken for a closet. Behind it were some stairs.

"The wine cellar?" Hermione asked.

"However did you know?" Draco answered, rolling his eyes.

He started down the stairs first, using his wand for light. Hermione followed.

The basement was colder than the rest of the house, and the dim light from Draco's wand illuminated rows and rows of expensive-looking red and white bottles.

"So…the 1978 Montrachet or the 1945 Mouton?"

"Uh…what?"

"Which do you want to drink?"

Hermione was no expert in wine, but she was sure both of the bottles Draco held up were exceedingly expensive.

"Don't ask. I'll only tell you after we drink it." He said, as if reading her mind.

"What, why?"

"Cause you seem like the kind of person that would turn down expensive gifts."

Yes. She was.


	10. Chapter 10

This chapter was the absolutely most fun to write!

***

Chapter 10

On the one hand, Hermione Granger was anxious to get to the cabin, the only place left where the horcrux could be. Except, of course, if she had missed something in the house. Nothing looked like Hufflepuff's cup, but it's not like she had dug through every cupboard, every drawer, and every bottle of wine. Just the one bottle. And that was the other hand.

Hermione Granger was actually quite happy to spend the wee hours of the night with Draco in the small library. It wasn't like she could have talked him into the cabin with night coming up, anyways. She'd ask to go in the morning. See? Still thinking about work work work.

Ok, so maybe Hermione didn't drink often. Maybe it was in very poor taste to drink what she was sure was a grotesquely priced bottle of wine in large quantities. She was a lightweight, though, and after about three glasses of wine she was feeling pretty good about the evening as a whole.

Hermione sat on the burgundy couch, Draco in a blue chair turned towards her. They sat in front of the fire, exchanging stories that neither of them would have found very funny before they had decided they didn't despise each other. Or before they finished the bottle of Mouton, at least.

"Oh, yeah, you weren't there? Yule Ball? Snape and Mcgonagall had a fit, whipping students out of their carriages. The windows all fogged up! It was hilarious. 'Fifty point from Hufflepuff, fifty points from Ravenclaw…' Fan-frickin-tastic."

Hermione giggled. "No Slytherins?"

Draco winked. "Slytherins know how to not get caught!"

Hermione laughed loudly, sipping from her glass. "I wasn't there, at the end, that is."

Draco glanced at her "Oh, yeah? Sneak off early with Krumb?"

Hermione snorted in a rather unattractive way, sloshing some of her drink on her pant leg.

"Hardly!"

"Oh, come on. Everyone and their mom knew you went with Krumb."

Hermione gaped at him. "Even in Slytherin house?"

"Good God, if I had to listen to one more giggly Slytherin girl going on about him I was going to puke. Yes. Even in Slytherin house. All the girls were jealous of you for shagging...er, I mean _snagging_, the great Quidditch player. Some of the guys, too." Draco said, with a raise of his eyebrows.

What came next out of Hermione's mouth would not have come out sober.

"I didn't shag him. I didn't shag anyone. He was just my first kiss, then bye bye, back off to Durmstrang." She said, looking at the fire and taking a large gulp of wine.

Draco just looked at her. "First kiss? Really? Fourth year? Just the fact that you remember it as your first kiss must mean it's something special…do you still talk to him?" Draco asked, trying to sound casual and not meeting her eyes.

Jealous? No way. Of what?

In her tipsy state she thought she was being real clever and convincing about her lack of a relationship with Krumb when she said "No! I just remember it because until today it was my only real kiss, that's all."

This, of course, gave Draco a whole new book-load of information she would rather not have had him know about.

"Your…only kiss before me? What about Potter and Weasley?"

"What about them?" She asked, not understanding at all.

"You're telling me you're around these guys for seven years and you've never screwed around with either of them?"

Hermione slammed her glass down (as delicately as possible, since it was a wine glass, of course) at this. "Your telling me you're around your two henchmen for two years and…"

"OK, ok!" Draco said, cutting her off. "Touché! Didn't mean to offend you, I just figured…"

"Why would you think that!?"

"Who doesn't?"

"What!?"

"Well, the Rita Skitter articles…not that I read them, I didn't care much about the everyday going on's of the "Boy who lived," but I heard about them." Draco sneered at his Harry comment, and looked expectantly at Hermione.

"Wha...no, you know what, I'm not going to dignify that with a response." And, whenever someone says that phrase, they have to of course do just that. She continued, "No! Harry is like my brother! Which, by the way, means I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't insult him so much around me…"

"No can do…"

"…and Ron. Well, I left the Yule Ball early because he pissed me off. Only a few weeks ago, he-" She caught herself in time. Her fuzzy mind remembered that she couldn't explain that Ron had left. She couldn't give Draco too much delicate information about their past few months. "…Well, he hurt me."

At a look from Draco she added "Oh, not really! And not on purpose! He hurt my feelings, that's all." That's all. Like it wasn't a big deal. Riiight.

"Anyways…No, I haven't even kissed either of them. Except for maybe a peck on the cheek, when the occasion prompted. That's all."

Draco furrowed his brow, thinking against the alcohol. "Wait, then. You said Krumb was your only kiss, but that that's all you did with Krumb…" He looked up at her, surprise on his face.

"Look, when it comes to solving mysteries and helping to stop evil, I've had more than my fair share. When it comes to romance, I'm not really as lucky. And I wouldn't want to put on an awful display at school like Ron and that horrible girl, Lavender, anyways."

"Oh, well, that's why you take that kind of thing to the dorm rooms." Draco said casually.

Hermione turned her head slowly to look at him, an amused look on her face. "Wh-at? Just what kind of ship are they running in Slytherin house?"

"Like I said, Slytherins know how to not get caught. Stop changing the subject, anyways. Are you saying you've never…"

"_Changing the subject_; why do I have to be the subject? What dirty things have you been doing in the hallowed halls of our great scholarly institution?" Hermione asked, halfway amused, halfway disgusted. To the best of her knowledge, those closest to her didn't go around the _school_ doing the nasty. That kind of crazy teen behavior was reserved for the relative freedom of break, right? Or was she really the odd one out?

Draco shook his head. "I have not had nearly enough to drink to discuss my love life- well, past love life- with you."

Hermione blushed scarlet. That's exactly what she had been doing! Discussing her (lack of a) love life. Well, he had been prying, but still…she really was a lightweight.

***

Draco yawned, stretching his arms up over his head. Hermione found herself catching his yawn, and shook her head as her body shook with it.

"What time is it? I'm completely beat."

"Yeah, almost dying- again-takes a lot out of you, huh?"

"Your just not going to let that go, are you?"

"Of course not. If I keep reminding you that I saved you- twice- then you have to be nice to me."

A laugh escaped her. "_Me_, be nice to _you_? I never thought that would be an issue you would have worried about."

Draco shook his head, his grin fading. He looked up, staring at Hermione.

"What?" She asked.

He stood up, reaching his hand out to her. Without thinking she grabbed it. He pulled her to her feet, and she promptly tipped to the side.

Stopping her fall with an arm around her waist, Draco chuckled. "Pathetic."

"Yeah, I know." She agreed. She felt tired and warm. She leaned heavily on Draco, her eyes shut.

He pulled on her, moving her out of the room.

She barely registered where they were going. She felt safe with Draco, which was positively baffling.

Before she knew it she was snuggling under a thick warm comforter, a warm body snoring at her back.

***

Hello everyone! EvilWarlordGu is here to express her apologies for how long the next update will take. I'm actually going to Croatia for three weeks, and I don't know what my internet situation will be (Probably just an internet café here and there).

I plan on writing a crap ton while there, so expect a BIG update around June 20th. If I can finish one more chapter before I leave, I'll post it. Otherwise, if you like the fic, mark your calendars for June 20th! (*Note: If you don't like the fic, you don't have to mark jack shit.)

If you like the story, please review! This is my first fic, so the reviews I get will heavily influence how much writing I do in the future. . Let me know what you like, and what you don't like, so I can improve!

Thanks for those who have reviewed! :heart:


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

She woke up to the soft scent of lilac soap. A heavy arm was draped around her waist, holding her tight.

She had one panicked moment of 'Where the hell am I?' when she remembered that she had fallen asleep in Draco's room last night. With Draco. Right there. Behind her.

She blushed, staring down at the arm around her waist.

Her heart beat hard in her chest, and she wondered what she should do.

Hermione shifted around slowly towards him, not wanting to wake Draco up.

His arm slipped as she turned, his hand lying on her hip.

She kept a few inches between them. This white-blond hair was all over the place, several longer strands in his face, and actually looked quite stylish like that. She studied his face. He didn't look as peaceful this morning. His eyebrows were scrunched together, his brow furrowed slightly. His lips were parted ever so slightly.

She could feel his soft breath…

Just then, a long, whining roar filled the room, breaking the peaceful silence like a war call. Draco jerked up fast, tearing out of bed.

Hermione was momentarily frightened out of her wits, and then forced herself to analyze the situation. The sound was almost like a dragon's call, and echoed slightly as it faded to silence.

Draco was already up and straightening out his hair. They had fallen asleep in their clothing, and looked frumpled.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, getting up slowly.

"It lets us know when someone has entered the property. We have a guest."

"A….guest?"

"Or an intruder who was talented enough to miss all our security measures." He looked at her meaningfully.

Hermione gasped. "Ron and Harry!" she said, forgetting that they were supposed to be pretending she hadn't said they were in the area.

Draco just froze, looking at her. "Maybe…or maybe not." And with that he turned towards the door, flinging it open. "Wait here, and hide." He said.

That sounded a bit too much like a command for Hermione's taste, and she protested, "But if it's my boys, they'll just attack you. If I'm there, we can avoid a scuffle."

Draco snorted. "Doubtful. Anyways, if it's _my_ group, you're dead, and I'm screwed. So just hide, ok? Why do you have to be so damn difficult?"

Hermione puffed up at that, walking over to Draco. "Difficult? You haven't _seen_ difficult yet, Draco. Just cast a disillusionment charm on me, and we can see who the hell it is!"

Draco looked like he wanted to protest, but the look Hermione gave him shut him up. He sighed, defeated. "Fine." He pulled out his wand, and tapped Hermione on the head (Rather harder than was necessary, she thought.)

The usual sensation of something cold dripping down her neck sent a shiver down Hermione's spine. While she was getting used to not really seeing herself, Draco grabbed an emerald green cloak form the wardrobe and slipped it around himself. He sat down on the bed and put on his shoes, saying, "Listen, stay by me at all times. The mansion will be on alert for a while once someone enters the property, so traps that didn't go off before will be touchy now. And since this spell just makes you kind of blend with the background, you can almost see your outline when you move fast. So…"

Hermione finished "You don't need to lecture me on spells. If we get close to someone, I'll use you to block me from view. I'll hide behind you. That should be enough."

Draco nodded. He reached out for her and he stood up, shoes on. He stopped, his hand held out to her.

"Probably shouldn't try finding your hand on my own, huh? Never know what I might end up grabbing."

Hermione blushed, but of course no one could see it. She reached out and took Draco's hand.

He promptly brought his arm behind him as he led her down the hall, keeping her hand at the small of his back.

There was a sound of a door opening and slamming ahead in the entry hall. Draco took a deep breath and peered around the doorframe, hesitantly. His hand tightened around Hermione's, and she wondered who it was he saw. He moved forward, keeping her behind him. His grip on her almost hurt, and she knew he was trying to tell her not to gasp at what she saw. She didn't, but it was hard.

Bellatrix Lestrange stood in the entry, a long cloak around her. She threw off the cloak, which was dripping wet snow all over the carpet.

"There you are! And look at you; you look like you just woke up! You knew I was coming today, didn't you?" She screeched, none too kindly.

Draco, for his part, managed "Oh, right…shit" The last part said quietly under his breath.

Hermione was scared. This could easily go bad. She gave Draco's hand a squeeze, hoping he'd get the hint and let her hand go. She could hold onto his shirt, and free up his hand. It would look less strange, that way. But Draco didn't take the hint. His grip didn't soften.

"You forgot. The only thing you have to do out here is wait for me to show up for my monthly checks on the house, and you can't even do that right?"

She moved closer. Draco looked like he would want nothing more than to back up, but he held still. Bellatrix was near by now, and she sneered.

"Here all by yourself, you must think you're really lucky, huh? Being forced out of the action for this "mission" of making sure no one comes to this house; what a laugh! As if anyone would come anywhere near this place." She moved closer. "I don't know what favors my dear sister called in to have it suggested you get stationed out here, but it's nothing more than a waste to keep a young wizard out of service like this."

Draco said nothing, just stared at the floor.

Her voice softened. "Draco, if you want to have a more…front line position in service to the Dark Lord, I may be able to….persuade him to give the Malfoy's son a second chance."

Hermione's heart was beating fast. How was she going to get out of this? Would Draco just give her up? If he did…along with Bellatrix's offer…he could be back on Voldy's good side. He might not like what was going on, but he believed that the Death Eaters would win. Self-preservation was a big part of Draco's priority list.

"Yes, Aunt Bella. I think I've had enough of this punishment of an assignment."

Bellatrix smiled. Her smile, as always, looked slightly more crazed than kind. "Good boy. Rewards will come to those who serve the Dark Lord most." She stepped past Draco, and he turned with her, keeping Hermione behind him.

She started up the staircase, calling "oh, and you most likely forgot to light the fireplaces upstairs. Take care of that while I clean up after my travels. I can't believe I have to apparate all the way outside the front gate…ah, well. I suppose it's best for safety's sake, for the mansion."

A couple seconds more and she was out of sight. Hermione was about to breathe a sigh of relief and bolt for the door when Draco pulled her with him, towards the stairs.

"Draco!" She whispered. He was pulling her up the stairs. "That's where _she_ went!"

He snapped around towards her, his eyes flashing. He couldn't look right at her invisible form, but he was close. "Just trust me!" He hissed. "Now. Shut. _Up_!"

***

Yay! I managed to do one more chapter before leaving! Hope you all like the suspense!

Here, let me sound like the ending of an old action cartoon:

Will Draco turn Hermione into his aunt for fame and glory? Will Hermione ever reunite with Harry and Ron? Will Draco and Hermione ever- what the heck, throw in some Shakespeare- "make the beast with two backs?" Find out next time, on "Perfect Impossibility!"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

A voice in the back of her head was pleading with her, telling her to struggle, get away, do _something_!

But Draco had asked her to trust him. Ok, so maybe trust isn't a valued commodity in the circles he ran in, but for her it meant something. And he knew that. He knew he was asking for her to give something she couldn't take back easily.

She had to decide: either trust him now or bolt. Both decisions were permanent.

She wanted so bad to believe he wouldn't turn her in.

Hermione stood frozen, halfway up the staircase, Draco pulling desperately at her arm. He stopped, turning full towards her now.

He let out a deep breath, saying in a tone laced with frustration, "Look, I know, I'm acting somewhat scary right now. Are you scared of me?"

Hermione shook her head.

After a pause Draco said, "Can't see you, you know."

"Oh….yeah…I mean no, no I'm not scared of you, not really…."

"Do you really believe I'll turn you in, when I've gone through the trouble of keeping you hidden from _her_?"

Hermione thought about it. "No…" she said, in a small voice.

Then he did something completely unexpected. He pulled his wand from his pocket, holding it out. "If we get into trouble, you know what to do."

She just stared, confused.

Draco sighed. "Look, to be perfectly honest, you know your wand work. Besides, you're invisible. So, if something goes wrong I trust you to watch my back."

"Watch you back…where are we going?"

"You'll see, just follow me, quick."

Hermione grabbed the wand and continued behind Draco. He did still keep hold of her hand, though.

***

Hermione remembered this room from her disastrous explorations of the second floor. One wall was covered in expensive brooms, displayed like artwork.

"Brooms…" she said "but I can't fly! I'm horrid! How am I supposed to watch you back?"

Draco sighed. "You'll ride with me, of course, idiot."

"Whose the idiot?! Where are we supposed to go…" She trailed off. "…the cabin, of course…"

Draco smiled. "Exactly."

He started pulling down a fast-looking broom (though to be honest, they all looked the same to Hermione).

Hermione asked, hesitantly, "You gave me your wand to show that you trust me. I followed you because I've decided I trust you, too. I won't just take that back. So…"

"So, "don't take advantage of my trust," or some such nonsense as that?" He asked, pulling open the window. A gust of freezing wind blew in, but at least it wasn't snowing. "Look, when I gave you my wand before, to heal yourself, you didn't know that you couldn't disapparate on Malfoy property, right?"

"No…wait, were you testing me?! What if I _had_ tried to escape?"

"But you didn't." He said, grinning. He looked much too full of himself. "Was it because you owed me for saving your life, and you didn't want to get me in trouble…or was it because you wanted to stay with me?"

Hermione didn't want to think too heavily on that. She didn't like to think that she was that selfish, with everything banking on finding that damn horcrux.

The horcrux! Bellatrix was here to just "check up on the house?" Riiiight. It had to be here. Draco didn't know; he was just here to stay out of the way until he's needed. He couldn't know, either. If things went bad, and Draco returned to Voldemort after all this, he'd be killed for that knowledge.

Hermione sighed heavily. Retreat for now, but she'd have to return eventually.

"Draco?" A voice called from down the hall. Too close. "Do I have to do everything myself?"

"I'm not a damn house elf." Draco mumbled under his breath, climbing on the broom.

The foot pedals in the back meant the broom was not made for two people. Climbing on the back, Hermione found she had to bend her own legs back along the top of Draco's, pressing herself against him and clutching his waist. Did she mention she found flying terrifying?

Draco moved the broom forward. The broom was definitely fast, even with two passengers.

***

True to his word, it took about a half hour to reach the cabin. In fact, Hermione was sure it was longer.

The ride was bitter cold. It lacked the freezing icy wet experience of snow, but it was still almost unbearable.

Draco had at least had the foresight to throw on a cloak that morning. Hermione had not had that luxury. The bottom of the cloak was under Draco on the broom, so there was no chance of her grabbing it and using it too. They probably should have thought about the cold, but it had been such a close call as it was.

The invisibility spell wore off about halfway there, but the two were pretty sure no one was following. "Aunt Bella is actually used to me disappearing when she visits." Draco yelled over the roar of the wind in their ears. "She shouldn't be too suspicious…at first."

The cabin itself was…small. It actually looked like it could be a normal camping cabin. Hermione and her family had spent several summer trips in one similar.

They landed just outside the door, and not too gracefully, either. Draco hopped easily off the broom at the moment it was on the ground, but Hermione just tripped and got a face-full of snow. So much for not getting all wet.

"S….sorry." Draco said, teeth chattering.

Hermione groaned and pushed herself up. Draco reached out a hand.

Hermione reached up to grab it, and Draco said, "My wand! I want to get inside; it's freezing out here."

Hermione gaped at him, and handed over the wand. Once it was in his hand, he started towards the door. Suddenly he turned back on his heel, grinning. "Just kidding." He said as he helped her up and brushed the snow from her.

"Jerk."

He just laughed as he opened the front door.


	13. Chapter 13

Warning! This chapter rated M! If you want to avoid the M rating on this fanfiction, skipping to the next chapter should be ok for you.

***

Chapter 13

The two of them were shaking violently when the entered the small room. Yes_, small_ room. There was a small fireplace and a table. Off to one side there was an open doorway to a bedroom. No bathroom. No one would suspect a Malfoy would own something so…normal. Perfect camping spot. But would they be _safe_ here?

As if in answer, Draco said "She won't know about this place, and she won't particularly care that I left. I do that a lot when _dear_ aunty Bella visits."

"Thank god. You don't like her."

Draco looked at her incredulously as he lit the fire with his wand. "No, who would? She's loonier than, well, Lovegood."

Hermione laughed a bit, and almost bit her tongue from the shaking. She fought to stop. "That's not funny. Luna's nice." She forced a frown.

"Yeah, well, that's certainly not something you'd say about Aunt Bella." He sat down in front of the fire. There was a thick rug, and it looked pretty clean.

Hermione followed, kneeling down and warming her hands. "She's one person I would venture to call real evil."

"Well, yeah. Plus I'm pretty sure she's boinking the Dark Lord." He said matter-of-factly.

Hermione almost fell over into the fire, laughing hard enough that no sound came out. "What?!"

Draco barked a little laugh, and looked from the fire to Hermione. "The funny thing is that I'm not even making that up."

Hermione laughed as she continued to shiver. "So…why such a small place?"

Draco smiled. "It's ours by….technicality."

"Technicality?"

"Some muggles used this for a campground to do something dreadful sounding like "Snow Fishing" or whatever. My parents are the only other's who know this is here; we don't really like to tell people we own this dump. It happened to be on the land we bought."

"What happened to the muggles?" Hermione asked carefully.

Draco snorted. "The realtors took care of it. It was their fault. I didn't even ask."

Hermione sighed, relieved.

"What'd you think we did, eat them?" Draco asked, amused.

"Well, death eaters don't exactly have a kind reputation when it comes to muggles…" Hermione started, snuggling close to Draco. "…or halfbloods…" She looked up at him. "…or me."

Draco just looked at her. "Well, I'm a piss-poor death eater then, huh?" He said jokingly.

"Yes, you are." Hermione said, smiling and laying her head against his shoulder. "And that is a compliment of the highest order."

She felt him stiffen next to her. Looking up, she saw his face drawn as neutral as possible, looking into the fire. Still avoiding her eyes, he asked, "I feel like I need to know. Right now, what do you think of me?"

She was taken aback by the question. She had wondered about what he thought of her, seen as how his basic ideologies condemned those like her, but what did she think of _him_? She knew what she used to think, but now?

"Well, you've saved my life twice now…"

Without looking at her he held up three fingers.

"…ok, three times, I guess." She was silent for a moment, thinking. "I mean, we've already established that I like you…"

"Yes, but in what way?" He whispered, leaning into her now. He saw her shivering, and opened his emerald cloak and wrapped it around her as well, his arm around her shoulder. She shivered a very different kind of shiver. He continued, "Just because of this? Because of your lunch sandwich analogy?"

It took her a minute to remember what he was talking about. Damn, he really did remember the most obscure details.

"No," she started, hesitatingly. "I don't think it's just that we're attracted to each other….physically. I like the way you are around me, when the whole war isn't pressing around us. I like when you make me laugh, even though many of the times it's rude. And I think ultimately it makes me hopeful that you seem to like me, even though you're supposed to hate me. It makes me think that maybe inside your not as bad as the way you were brought up to be."

"Well, I suppose by _your_ definition of "bad…"

"Even though you don't think of your ideals as necessarily _evil_, you recognize the main flaw in them. You know what's going on now is evil, no question about it. I know you wouldn't really hurt anyone on your own…not seriously…"

"You have no idea what I've done."

She paused, looking up at him again. He was determinedly looking into the flames. She knew from Harry's visions (which he shouldn't be having!) that Draco hadn't been exactly having a great time in the death eaters. It seemed he had been forced to do many things he didn't want to. It made Hermione wonder how many others were just going along with Voldy because they were scared. Did it really matter? Evil was evil, wasn't it? But she didn't think that about Draco.

And he was looking so straight-faced, his lips in a tight line. He looked like someone trying very hard not to show their true feelings. It made her heart ache.

She sat up higher and kissed him softly.

He responded to her kiss, and slowly shut his eyes. His hand with the cloak was still wrapped around her shoulders, and he tightened his grip slightly. As the kiss deepened, he pulled her tight up against him.

She found herself draped around him, straddling him, her arms in his hair, her legs on either side of his. His tongue moved with hers, each fighting for space.

She loved the feel of her fingers in his hair, even if it was stiff. He still smelled so good…

Without realize what she was doing, her hand moved from behind him to the front, undoing the buttons of his shirt.

She ran her hand over his smooth pale skin as she slid the shirt back. Draco reached up and undid the clasp to the cloak, and it spilled to the floor in a puddle.

As Hermione succeeded in pulling off Draco's shirt, he let out a small growl-like noise and flipped them onto the floor, himself positioned over her.

They kissed until they were left gasping for air. Draco moved to gently kiss along her jawline while at the same time undoing the buttons on her shirt. Hermione gasped when he gently sucked on the soft spot just below where her jaw meets her ear.

His hands where fumbling, and he finally got frustrated and just pulled the shirt open, several buttons rolling on the floor.

Once the offending shirt was gone, he went back to being slow and gentle. He worked his way down her neck, kissing and sucking softly. His hand moved slowly from her soft stomach and up to her breasts. He slid his fingers under the wire of her plain white bra. Hermione let out a small sound.

Suddenly she sat up, making Draco move off her a bit.

"What's wrong?" He asked, worried.

She reached behind her and undid the clasp of the annoying bra, then reached forward and placed her hand on either side of Draco's face.

"Nothing…" she said, pulling a surprised Draco back down on top of her.

He got over his surprise quickly, and grinned wickedly. He trailed his fingers lightly over her breasts, his thumbs rubbing her pale pink nipples gently. She took a sharp breath.

His lips covered hers again at once. She felt like she was melting. He was pressed against her lower half, and she could feel him hard. She made a movement with her hips, pushing against him, and it felt so good…she wanted to be with him, this time. She didn't want to think, just to act. It all felt so right, the way he was fighting to control himself and continue his gentle attentions to her.

She met his eyes and saw the raw need in them. She knew he saw nearly the same thing in her's. Perhaps there was a little fear left in her, but she defiantly didn't want him to stop.

His hands floated down over her stomach, down to the top button of the slacks. Draco raised himself up on his knees so he could undo it, and removed the last of Hermione's clothing.

But his pants, which Hermione was surprised to find herself so annoyed at, were still on when he returned to kissing her.

He broke the kiss to move his hands down her again, moving softly from her face, brushing against her breasts, and down over her stomach. This time the pants were not an obstacle.

His pale slender fingers brushed her softly, and she let out a small moan.

"Draco…" She said, watching him. He smiled slightly as his finger brushed at her core again and she shuddered. He slowly slid his fingers up and pushed two into her.

"Oh!" she cried, shuddering again. Her hips moved slightly by their own accord, wanting more…deeper…

Hermione sat up, pulling at Draco's belt. He more than got the message and helped her in removing the last of his things.

She wrapped her arms around him, loving the feel of his warm body against her, on top of her. He placed his elbows on either side of her head to keep some of his weight off of her.

She felt her heart flutter around like a caged bird. She was nervous. This was her first time. And she was certain this wasn't his. What if it hurt? What if she was terrible at it?

Her head spun as she let herself overthink everything, and her face flushed red. She shut her eye's, willing herself to calm down. It wasn't such a big deal, right? Draco would take care of her; he wouldn't laugh if she didn't know what she was doing, either. She hoped.

She felt a slight pressure as Draco kissed her eyelids gently.

"Are you ok?" He asked, his breathing fast.

She opened her eyes.

"I'm…yes, I'm fine…" She knew her face was bright red, and she fought to just stop thinking so damn much. "I'm just…kind of nervous, that's all."

Draco gave her a questioning look. Then he looked as if something had dawned on him. "That's right. I forgot. Of course you would be nervous." He said, leaning down and kissing her softly. "Don't worry, please…I'll be careful. Or… if you want to stop, you can tell…"

"No!" she said abruptly. "No…I don't want you to stop…please…"

He smiled, bringing his mouth down to her ear. "Then stop being so worried and _trust_ me."

She nodded, feeling slightly stupid for having interrupted the moment with the annoying buzzing of her nervous brain. There was nothing to be worried about; she trusted Draco. Otherwise, she wouldn't be doing this.

He grabbed his wand, doing a pretty simple spell that all teenage witches and wizards seem to know. Safety first, after all. Charms work about as well and for the same things as certain muggle instruments used in these kinds of situations.

She felt him hard in between her legs, pushing at her. He guided himself to her opening and slid forward ever so slowly. Her breath caught as she felt him enter her.

He paused, his breath ragged. He pressed his face against hers and whispered, "This might hurt a bit. Sorry."

She nodded. She just wanted this part over with quickly.

He thrust forward fast, burying himself in her, and fought to hold still. He let out a groan as she let out a pained squeak. It wasn't really that bad, the pain. Just a slightly stinging pressure that faded soon. What it faded into was worth it, anyways.

She moved her hips against his to let him know she wanted him to continue.

He moved, beginning to set a slow rhythm. She moved her hips to meet his, gasping and moaning as she felt a pressure building in her.

So, she was loud in bed? Who cares- in a cabin miles from anyone else.

The rhythm sped up, and Hermione found she couldn't keep up anymore…Draco was moving fast and hard, his breathing loud and his eyes on her. She could tell he liked how vocal she was. As their lovemaking became more frantic, pounding, she felt like she was floating as a burst of stars flew over her eyes and she yelled out.

"Damn." Draco said, and Hermione felt him give a couple more fast thrusts, and then push into her as hard as he could, gasping and coming to his own end.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Draco fell next to her, both of them breathing hard. He rolled over onto his back, and Hermione pulled the cloak over them and snuggled close to Draco. They had just woken up not long ago, before they had fled the mansion, but all she wanted to do was to lie with him beside the warm fire and fall asleep.

Draco stroked her hair. She felt so comfortable…

The wind outside the cabin was roaring again, and it seemed darker than it should have. Another storm, probably.

Just then Hermione realized something.

"I would rather not return to reality…" Hermione started, "But is there…food here?"

Draco laughed. "I'm pretty hungry, too. I think I left some things here last time…"

As he started to get up, Hermione stopped him with her palm on his chest. She leaned over until she was half on top of him and kissed him. He kissed her back, their eyes half closed.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"Because I don't know how many times I'll be able to kiss you; I want to get in as much as possible now."

Draco didn't answer at first. He thought about it, and said, "If your wondering if I want to keep up this relationship of ours, if I want to continue to learn about you….kiss you…" he kissed her, "…then of course I want to…but I can't just keep you locked up with me, can I? What with death eaters visiting. And who knows when I'll be called on to leave…"

"That's why? What about the fact that I have things I need to do? I need to fight and help to stop…"

Draco put his arms around her and flipped her under him. He had a serious look on his face. "Why do you keep insisting that you'll win?! You'll die! So, if I let you go, you'll just continue this suicide mission as back-up to the boy-wonder? The Dark Lord will kill you! No, he'll torture you, then kill you!"

Hermione gritted her teeth. She took a deep breath, calming herself. "I know your worried about me, and there is more than enough reason to, but there is no other choice." She looked him in the eyes. "If no one fights back, then there really is no chance we'll win. If no one was brave enough to risk themselves, nothing evil would ever change in the world."

"I just don't understand you…" He looked sad then, not quite looking in her eyes. She was still trapped beneath him.

"Draco…you're the one in danger." She realized. "But I can't change your mind any more than you can change mine, huh? I won't just hide away while other's fight for what's right…"

"And I won't join the losing side and get myself killed." Draco finished.

There. They had reached another agreement. It was one that left neither of them very happy.

***

After that conversation, the two of them got dressed quietly. Draco used some cleaning spells on them, explaining that there was, of course, no shower.

He searched the tiny cupboards and found some cans of this and that, and the two had a very quiet breakfast of beans and canned fruits.

Hermione didn't like this. She knew he didn't believe in Voldemort's cause, or else how could he possibly care about her? But if he joined them, and they lost, he was dead. If she stayed hidden and the death eaters won…she shivered at the thought. What did he think he could do to protect her _then_? Would he keep her around as some kind of servant? Honestly, it didn't look like there would be much else besides Azkaban in line for muggle-borns. Hermione didn't think she could make it in a world where Voldemort had won. As long as she was alive, she would have to fight. And as long as Harry was alive, they hadn't lost yet.

'I have to find that Horcrux.' Hermione thought. "Bellatrix's visit confirms it; it just has to be here! But _where_? And how the hell can I go back there, with _her_, when I don't have a wand?!'

Hermione was deep in thought, staring down her fruit cup, when Draco broke the silence. It made Hermione jump.

"Do you regret it, then?" He asked.

"What?" Her eyes grew wide, and she blushed as she said, "No. Draco, it was…wonderful." She fought back tears as she continued, "But I can't just stay here, and neither can you. When all of this is over…maybe then, we can…date, do normal things. When it's not just us alone, will you want me then?"

"Yes." Draco answered, quickly. He cleared his throat. "Yes, I will want you then. I want you now…but I guess tying you up and stopping you from leaving would be a bit on the evil side, huh?" He tried for a small smile.

"I need to take your broom…"

"My broom? You can't fly, I thought."

"I can't; but if it's between that and walking…"

"Dark Lord nothing, you'll be dead from hypothermia before he gets his hands on you!" He looked sad, his eyes cast down. "Why do you want to leave so quickly?"

She stood up and wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his chest.

"I love you." She said, finally bursting into tears. "I have to leave now, before I change my mind and prolong the inevitable even longer. There are things I must do, things I've been putting off because _I love you_!"

It was at that inopportune moment that the door burst open. The two parties had the briefest of seconds to assess the situation. Draco reached for the wand in his back pocket just as Harry and Ron aimed their already drawn wands at his chest.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, and Draco's partially drawn wand flew through the air. Harry lurched forward a step and caught it. Ron moved slowly toward Hermione, wand trained on Draco.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked, looking over at her. "Why are you _crying_?!" He looked back a Draco, furious.

Harry seemed equally pissed, stepping forward and pressing the wand to Draco's throat. Draco raised his hands up.

Hermione had been too shocked to speak or even move. Draco reaching for his wand had put a few inches of distance between them. Surprised by the sudden entrance, she had automatically tried to grab her wand, which of course was not there. Instead, it was firmly gripped in Harry's hand.

"Give me that!" She said, pulling the wand from Harry's grasp. He looked shocked, still holding onto Draco's wand with his other hand. "Boy's! Throwing spells at each other without figuring out the situation first!" She was frustrated, but at the same time thrilled to see her friends were ok.

"Hermione…we thought you…we were really worried about you." He said, throwing his arms around her. Ron did the same.

Hermione felt slightly ashamed of herself. Her friends were so worried about her, while she'd been…well, she certainly hadn't been trying to let them know she was ok, or finding the horcrux. "I'm ok. Really!" She said, hugging her two friends back. The two of them broke off the hug, awkwardly, as usual.

She wiped the tears from her face. "Sorry…I'm fine. Actually…Draco was the one who saved my life."

The two stared first from her, then to Draco, who was still standing near. He had a look of deep contempt on his face as he started back at the boys.

"We saw this place and thought we'd stay here for a few days…." Harry began.

"We also thought you might have made it here, somehow." Ron said. "I can't believe it…I knew you couldn't be…gone. It would have been too much." His voice cracked on the last sentence.

Harry looked at Draco. "You saved her from the storm? Way out here? Why are you out here, Malfoy?"

"Like I have to tell you, Potter."

Harry ignored him completely and asked Hermione, "Did you find the mansion, after all? This place is much too far from the last camp. We didn't see the mansion, but then it probably has spells to make it a complicated find." Harry said, thinking out loud.

Hermione's eyes flashed to Draco's. He let out a loud sigh. "You might as well tell them that you found it; I'm screwed if any of you get captured now, anyways."

She nodded. "Yes, He found me in front of the mansion. But Bellatrix showed up, so this place is safer now…"

"What about the H…" Ron started, then snapped his mouth shut, looking at Malfoy. "The, uh, mission?"

"I didn't find it, but if Bellatrix is there…"

"Then it must be too." Harry finished, thinking.

Ron turned to Draco, his face red with anger. "Why the hell didn't Hermione try and find us? You rescue her, but you don't help her get back? What, you kept her prisoner or something?!" Ron asked, glaring at Draco.

"Maybe she was having a bit of _fun_ with me." Draco said, grinning evilly at Ron. "I'm loads of fun in places I'm sure your not…"

"Draco!" Hermione yelled, glaring. Ron looked like he might lung at Draco at any moment. "I didn't have my wand. And if Draco had let me go and I was caught, they would find out he had kept me a secret. He would be punished for helping me. So I agreed to stay." She said, trying to sound confident and convincing. "I also looked for _it_." She said meaningfully, looking to Harry. "Now if we could all just lower our wands…"

The boy's wands stayed up. Right. When did they ever listen to her?

"So, yes, he did keep you prisoner." Ron said accusingly, facing Draco.

"Yes, I guess I did." He said, looking over at Hermione. His face was a mask, giving nothing away.

Hermione placed her hands on both of the boy's wands and lowered them. "I've just about had enough of this crap. I said he saved my life; isn't that good enough?"

"You should mention that I saved it three times" Draco said, in his best I'm-not-really-trying-to-be-helpful voice.

"Three times?" Harry asked.

"Yes. Never mind. Just cut the animosity crap. You two need food, and Draco deserves a bit more respect than a wand in the face."

The boys finally lowered their wands to their sides, though neither put it away. Actually, Harry had Draco's wand, but Hermione would work on that one later. She was thrilled to be holding her very own wand again, herself.

Crap. What the hell could she do? She didn't want her friends- who have been close to her for _seven years_- to know about what had been going on between her and Draco.

But on the other hand she knew that it seemed to Draco that she had chosen their side, and that he had been reverted back to the "bad guy" again. And so she was ashamed that she was ashamed.

As the two starving travelers ate side-by-side on the wooden bench attached to the table, Hermione sat opposite, by Draco.

She reached down discretely, touching his hand on the bench. He grabbed her hand in his, and his face seemed to relax right away. She tried to portray to him her complex feelings through a small touch and a look. He seemed to understand her situation, even if he didn't like it. She had a job to do; she had to leave, and he had to stay. Pissing off her friends and comrades would not be super smart. When everything was done, maybe the two of them could be together…depending on who won, of course.

Hermione looked to her friends. Harry seemed deep in thought, worried about something. Ron was glaring Draco down, no doubt still viewing him as the Villain who had locked away the princess. Sigh. Life was complicated enough, fighting evil and all; why did personal things like love have to make it so much harder?

Love. Had she really said that? It made her feel so embarrassed she wanted to cry. Although there were many reasons she wanted to cry right then. He hadn't had time to answer…would he have tried to change the subject awkwardly? Would he have kissed her again? Would he have answered back, "I love you too?" It seemed ridiculous for her now, to imagine words like those coming out of the mouth of Draco Malfoy. She hadn't said it because she needed to hear it back. She had said it because…because of some implausible mistake in the fabric of the universe, she did love him. It had only been days, but she did. The thought of him being hurt in this war…

"What will they do to you, if they find out you let us go?" Surprisingly, it was Harry's question, which mirrored Hermione's thoughts, that broke the silence.

Draco sneered at him from across the table. "'Let go' is a bit of a stretch, wouldn't you say? You have my wand."

"But you didn't tell anyone you had found Hermione. No, I don't think you'll get us killed if you can avoid it. But letting us go seems to be stretching the limits of what I would have thought of your "bravery" level. Not turning Hermione in seems to be putting you in a good deal of danger, if…you know who… reads your mind."

"I can explain it, and just accept the punishment on that one. Letting _you_ go without informing anyone, however…"

A silence hung in the air at the unfinished sentence. "That's what I meant. They'll kill you for that."

Draco shrugged. "If they find out? Oh, yes they will." He shuddered. "And it won't be quick. But the Dark Lord doesn't often pay me much attention. I'm small fry. Reading my mind isn't worth it." He stared pointedly at Harry. "But reading yours, or using veratiserum on you, would be just his style. If any of _you_ talk, then I'm just as dead."

Harry sighed heavily, seeming to regret his next words deeply. "Then come with us."

Ron choked on his canned corn and Hermione sputtered a "What?" at that suggestion. Harry wouldn't just let Draco pay the price for helping them (ok, _her_) out. Not to mention one less death eater is always a good thing.

Draco laughed bitterly. "Are you serious? Fat chance in hell. Why the hell would I want to spend my time in a hole somewhere hiding with you, waiting for the Dark Lord to come pick us off? Won't you Gryffindor's give it a rest? This one's already been through that crappy suggestion with me about three times." He pointed to Hermione next to him with his free hand. His other hand was still holding hers under the table.

"Draco." Hermione said softly. "If…if we don't win, you can always claim we held you hostage. We could even change your memories so you'd think that's what happened. The logistics of it aside, all it really comes down to is what you want: Do you want to help you know who, or do you want to help the innocent who are being hurt by this?"

"Neither."

"You don't get that choice anymore." Harry said, motioning to Draco's left arm.

Draco met Harry's eyes and it was like all the hatred between them in the past seven years came to a culmination. Draco slammed his hands on the table, standing up. At the same time, Harry stood and raised Draco's wand.

"Get out." Draco said.

"I hardly think you're the one to be giving order's here." Ron piped in, pulling his own wand.

Hermione was pissed. Just when she thought everyone was acting like grown-ups….But now, she had her own wand back.

In a flash of fancy wand-work and a gust of wind, all the boys were knocked backwards, tripping on the benches. Hermione loomed over them, a furious snarl on her face.

"I've had enough of this! You obviously can't be in a room together at the same time and still act civil. We need to get back to the mansion." She turned to Draco. "How long until Bellatrix leaves?"

"I don't…" Draco started.

"Shut up, just shut up! Best estimate."

"Maybe two days." Draco answered immediately. He then grinned in a way that seemed indecent. "You know, you're really sexy when you're angry."

"Oi!" Ron yelled.

"SHUT UP! I need to think!" She rubbed her temples. Secretly, she found his comment amusing and his evil smirk that accompanied it a turn-on. Sigh. She was a mess.

Harry stood up again, assuming the "I have a daring plan" face.

"Did you ever just…you know, _ask_ Draco if he had seen the object in the house?" he asked.

"No, that parts top-secret, remember? If there's one thing we do not want getting back to Voldy, it's that we're looking for _that_."

"So…" Draco said, standing up at the same time as a red-faced, angry Ron, "This is yet another secret I'll have to keep to avoid a painful death?"

Hermione sighed. She didn't like the idea of Draco having even this small bit of information; it was a danger to him and to their mission. "We're looking for a small cup, with the symbol of Hufflepuff on it."

"Hufflepuff's cup?" Draco asked matter-of-factly, confused.

"Yes! You know where it is?"

"I saw it in Aunt Bella's vault."

There was a long silence in the room. The three hero's looked at each other, looking very tired."

"The vault." Hermione said.

"At Gringotts." Ron added.

Draco laughed. "So the whole reason you were all out here was to get that old thing? I saw it a few weeks ago and almost gagged. Hufflepuff- can you image? I don't care if it is an ancient treasure; it's still a part of the loser-house." He said this to Hermione. He was pointedly talking to her and ignoring the other two.

"So...why is Bellatrix at the house here?" Hermione asked.

Draco looked serious for a moment. Then he said something completely unexpected. "Small Backed Yeti's."

"…What?"

"Since I'm already a complete traitor for letting you go, I might as well let you know: I'm up here for no reason other than my parents got me the cozy post of making sure no Order members tried to approach the Yeti's. Aunt Bella's the one who's recruiting them. It's sort of a side project; the Canadian Small Backed Yeti's are pretty strong and numerous, so we thought we could ship some back. The Dark Lord doesn't trust the Malfoy's to handle the project, so he gave the mansion to my Aunt."

"And how's that going?"

Draco smiled slightly. "Not too well."

"Draco, thank you." Hermione said, standing and facing him. "We need to go now. Keep this in mind, though: we will win. And even if you don't come with us, your going to have to stomach the fact that you just helped us get a step closer to our goal."

Draco smiled. "I think I can stomach it, for a price."

The boy's stood a ways away. Harry wand was shoved in his back pocket, but Ron's was still out. He took a step closer.

Draco leaned into her, putting his mouth by her ear where the other two couldn't see. He whispered, "I want a goodbye kiss." The words seemed a bit choked, and Hermione looked up to find his eyes looking a bit wet. Or was it her imagination? He looked away from her, and she couldn't tell anymore.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Hermione grabbed his hand, and he looked back at her. Looking into his eyes felt so intimate…

She realized Harry and Ron were two feet away, but she didn't care. She hated seeing Draco like this. She was, of course, feeling the same way. They might never see each other again. Ron and Harry could infer whatever they wanted out of it; she didn't want to make Draco feel like she didn't care about him anymore now that her boy's were back. Not when the chances were so high that this really was goodbye…

No! She couldn't think like that! Somehow, they would see each other again.

With that thought, so pushed herself up on her toes and kissed him.

He seemed surprised, and it took him a minute to kiss her back. He quickly put his arms around her and hugged her to him. The kiss ended too soon, Hermione pulling away gently.

"Don't die." She said simply.

"You too." He answered back.

Hermione promptly turned on her heel and walked out of the cabin. Never mind that she still didn't have shoes. Or a cloak. She had to leave _right then_.

She didn't even think about Harry and Ron until they were right beside her, walking.

"What….?" Ron started, but words seemed to fail him.

"Er, we should apparate out of here now, work our way back home." Harry said, putting his mind to more practical matters. Hermione was sure he was pissed and confused, just like Ron, but Harry tended to just act ignorant about awkward things.

Hermione was grateful. She didn't want to explain herself. She didn't think she could stop herself from crying as it was; having her friends hate her would be too much. Would they hate her?

Within a few minutes the three of them were overseas, setting up camp so they could begin plotting their trip to Gringotts. Hermione did find one of Bellatrix Lestrange's hairs on the shirt she was wearing…which was still Draco's. Perhaps they could make a plan around that?

The three would find her some warm clothing later.

Hermione huddled around the campfire. It wasn't as cold here, even though it was winter. It was about supper by this time, yet they didn't have any food left. Hermione should have grabbed some from Draco. It hadn't been at the top of her priority list at the time.

She wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her head in them. The shirt smelled nice…

"I just have to ask…what's with the clothing?" Ron asked. His tone said 'I'm really upset but I'm pretending to just be conversational.'

Hermione sighed. "My old things were soaked and ruined when Draco found me. I didn't want to wear Bellatrix's things. I chose to wear this."

Harry coughed.

"What?" She asked.

"No one's going to say it? Really?" Ron asked, looking between them. He glared at Hermione. "What the hell was up with…whatever the hell happened back there?! How could you…ugh…_kiss_ him?"

Hermione glared right back. "Ron, you don't have any say in who I kiss." The boy's looked stricken. They hadn't thought that she'd actually _wanted_ to kiss him, probably.

"So…he didn't hurt you at all, did he?" Harry asked carefully.

"Cause we'll go right back and kick his ass muggle-style if he did!" Ron added.

Hermione smiled a bit, despite herself. It was good to have friends who cared about her so much. She shook her head. "No, don't worry. Draco is Draco, so he was often rude…" She thought back to her first couple of days there and smiled. "But he took good care of me while I was there, even when we didn't get along."

"Even _when_? There was a time when you _did_ get along with that little prat? You defiantly check your temper better than some of us." Harry said, his eyebrows rising.

"Draco's not all bad, you know." Harry and Ron made incredulous faces, and she continued, "Yes, he is who he is, but even he can change certain faults. He saved and took care of _me_, and that certainly say's something about how much he's changed his belief system, doesn't it? I was sick when he found me…I could have died at his gate…"

The boy's looked down, upset at the possibility.

"We're just glad you're all right, Hermione." Ron said. Harry nodded.

She sighed, looking exhausted. "Draco is a very different person to me now that I know him…I know you two don't like him, and visa versa…but you two are my best friends, and I don't want…I don't want you to hate me." She looked over at Ron, her eye's threatening tears.

Ron's face softened. Harry looked uncomfortable, like he didn't know what to say. Neither of them had a clue what she was really talking about, and she didn't want to give them any hints. She didn't want them to hate her when she finally confessed that she was in love with Draco…one day.

"I can't hate you…" Ron said softly.

"Then please, can we just focus on the job at hand and forget all the personal stuff? I don't want to think about all this anymore…I need to focus on something dangerous and complex, or I'm going to have an absolutely meltdown."

Harry laughed a little. "Dangerous and complex? We definitely have that down. For instance, how to break into Gringotts?

***

In the next couple of weeks, several events took place. The trio went to Bill and Fleur's…well, you know what happened from there, told by a much better writer.

Harry had Draco's wand still, which was rather lucky since he needed one.

The climax of the war took place at Hogwarts, and it was then that Hermione next saw Draco Malfoy.

***

She saw him across the room, his worried parents at his side. The room was so silent, every eye on the prophesized moment in front of them. It all came down to this. Everyone in the room had a plethora of hopes riding on the outcome of this battle…

At this thought, Hermione's eye's flicked back to Draco, and noticed him looking at her.

He looked terrified and out of place. The Malfoy's had seemingly gone rogue at the very end of this long terror. On no one's side but their own. It was a step up.

When he caught her eyes he nodded, slowly. She could imagine him saying, "I hope you were right about that 'believing in Harry' crap."

As Harry explained to Voldemort everything that had happened right under his nose, because he didn't understand love, Hermione could feel everyone in the room holding their breath. And when the moment came that Voldemort fell, Hermione and Ron leapt at Harry, cheering.

Soon there were too many people wanting to talk to Harry, and Hermione found herself pushing her way out of the crowd.

Many death eaters were being rounded up. It was only a matter of time before they took the place of the innocent muggle-borns and half-bloods in Azkaban.

Hermione's joyful grin faded as she searched the room. Where was he?

She suddenly felt a strong hand on her shoulder, turning her around. It was Draco, standing right behind her. He looked fazed.

"Hermione…" he started.

She nearly knocked him over with her hug, jumping up at him with her arms around his neck. He automatically grabbed her in his arms as well, so she hung off the floor for a moment or two.

"You're ok! You made it! We both made it!" She whispered in his ear as he held her.

"Er….it's somewhat more complicated than that, you know." Draco answered, sounding slightly panicked.

What _now_?


	17. Chapter 17

So, originally I intended to end this with them separating….but it doesn't seem right. I mean, they have to find each other again, since they both survive the war, right? And so I continue this adventure, as there are still many challenges they have in front of them.

***

Chapter 17

Azkaban. The Malfoy's were to be brought to a holding cell to await their trial. No one was taking any chances with known death eaters, so Azkaban was entirely likely. Unless, of course, they had the solemn word of a hero or two that they were on the good side by the end.

Several wizards were watching over a group of death eaters, tied to chairs by the entryway until transportation could arrive. Draco had managed to slip away to find her before he had been rounded up. Several wizards reached the two of them just as their hug ended.

"No, you see, he saved my life." Hermione was trying to explain. She had Draco behind her, but had the good sense to keep her wand pocketed. Hero or not, drawing a wand on a mob of wizards who had recently been fighting for their lives was not a good idea.

Among the group was Mcgonagall, and she stepped to the front, clapping her hands twice to get their attention. "Everyone, I think I'm more than capable of handling the situation. Go attend to the various other problem's we have left to clean up about the room."

No one argued. You couldn't argue with Mcgonagall. And so the group dispersed, leaving Hermione to state her case to her former professor. It was a big improvement from the small crowd.

Of course, if she could have even seen Harry through the wall of bodies, she could have asked for his 'seal of approval' on her claims. He also knew that Draco was forced to do the things he did under Voldemort's rule. No one would refute anything he said tonight.

She sighed, looking at her stern professor. She grabbed Draco's hand behind her and held it firmly. She liked to think that if the outcome of this battle had been reversed, Draco would have done what he could to protect her, as well.

"Professor, Draco Malfoy deserves to be acquitted of the charges being made against him as a death eater. He didn't fight on the side of Voldemort in this battle."

Mcgonagall sighed. It had been a long day for her. "Miss Granger, you and your friends have risked so much for someone your age. You three had a greater understanding of what was happening behind the scenes in this war than any of us, thanks in large part to Albus Dumbledore. I would very much like to excuse Mr. Malfoy…" she glared at him from over her glasses, "…but that is not up to me to decide. You all seem so young to me, but the truth is that you are seventeen and responsible for your actions. Counting on the good nature of certain students to bail you out of trouble seems like a very cowardly act, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco didn't make eye contact with her. He was staring down at the ground. Hermione squeezed his hand behind her back.

"Professor, please don't assume I'm as gullible and naïve as to be used to save death eaters- even if they were former classmates. I may be good natured, but I'm not stupid…"

"No, you certainly are not." Mcgonagall interrupted. "Very well," she sighed, "state your case. What legitimate knowledge do you have about Mr. Malfoy's innocence? Keep in mind that at the most I should be able to keep someone as young as him out of a holding cell- the finale say is all still up to a judge to decide, ultimately."

Hermione gulped. Ok, get him out of hot water for now, then come up with a game plan for dealing with death-eater-hunting-judges later. She would need Harry's help on that one, for sure. No way was she letting Draco end up in Azkaban.

Though is it possible he deserved it? Was she just biased because she loved him? And how could she love someone she thought might actually have done horrible crimes?

She shook her head. No. She couldn't doubt him. She needed to believe in him, because the alternative would drive her nuts.

"Draco Malfoy was forced to do many things under Voldemort. His life and the lives of his parents depended on it. He couldn't kill Albus Dumbledore, as we all know, and Harry can testify that everything Draco did was because he had no choice. He and his family didn't fight during this battle, at least not that I saw. And he saved my life during our long mission to stop Voldemort. He saved my life three times, actually." she said, smiling at the knowledge that Draco would have made that distinction himself were he not scared out of his wits.

Mcgonagall nodded. She quickly said, "Get him out of here; I'll handle the rest for now. You will receive a trial date by owl. Make sure to have your witnesses ready," and walked off. There was too much else to deal with right now.

Get him out of here? _Where_?

Hermione pulled Draco behind her out of the great hall, and down a staircase. Draco said nothing. It was like he was stupefied; completely stunned. He just followed her.

When they reached a door Hermione opened it. Good. An empty classroom. She needed to think.

She let go of Draco's hand and shut the door, locking it with wave of her wand.

Now what? Ok, she had to get Draco out of this battleground. But she didn't really have anywhere to go…maybe her home? It was in a muggle neighborhood, and her parents where still gone…

But she couldn't just leave without telling Harry and Ron, either…

"Thank you." Draco said quietly, interrupting her thoughts.

She turned to him. He was still staring at the floor. He lifted his head to look at some indiscriminate point on the wall behind her. His face was slightly flushed. "I don't know what will happen next, but I'm sorry I ran over to you like a scared… rabbit or something. I didn't know who else to turn to…"

That was it. He was embarrassed; thought he had been cowardly, as Mcgonagall pointed out. But the truth was, Hermione would have been furious with him if he hadn't asked for her help.

"It's payment in kind, Draco. Remember?" She held up three fingers. "It's only natural to do whatever you can to stay away from that awful place, Slytherin or not."

He sighed. "My parents…there's nothing really to be done, is there?"

"I'm….I'm not sure, Draco. I don't know everything that happened."

"That's probably a good thing."

He sat down roughly into the professor's chair behind the desk, and looked up to meet her eyes.

Despite the awful battle, and despite the current situation, Hermione felt her heart flutter at his gaze. Why couldn't this all be simple? How did she fall in love with the most complicated person possible? Was there really no way the universe would let the two of them just _be_ together? Then again, opposites attract, right?

Hermione felt guilty, because all she wanted to do was think about him. She wanted to push all of the horrors of the past few hours and days out of her mind. She wanted to jump into his lap and kiss him. But that _somehow_ seemed disrespectful to all those who had died. Just a bit.

No, the two of them just had to leave. For now.


	18. Chapter 18

Ok, I have to say this. Looking back, this is my least favorite chapter. Just bear through it, and there will be better things to come, promise!

***

Chapter 18

Hermione reached over and grabbed a piece of parchment from the desk. She grabbed a quill and scribbled a note:

Harry and Ron,

Gone home. No big emergency; don't worry. I need to talk to you tomorrow, Harry. I assume you'll be at the Burrow for tonight? I will meet you two there tomorrow afternoon.

-Hermione

She folded the note carefully into a paper airplane and bewitched it to fly to her friends.

She opened the door and flung the plane down the hall, where it went merrily on its way.

Sticking her head back in the doorway, she said to Draco, "Come on. We need to get to the Quidditch storage room."

"Why?" Draco asked, still sitting in the chair.

"Because we need to fly off grounds, then apparate out of here."

"We?"

"Yes, we. Where else would you go? We don't want an overzealous wizard to try tracking you down at home. You're coming with me, and we'll figure out how to get you through your trial safely. Now get up."

Draco continued to stare at her. He finally stood up and walked over. He shut the door, and pushed her up against it. He stood with one arm on either side of her head, trapping her.

"Thank you, Hermione." He whispered, and pushed himself against her, hugging her against the door. "I'm sorry to put this all on you…I just don't think I could stand being _there_. I was frightened…I'm sorry I'm so pathetic."

His head was buried in her hair, his breath on her ear. He sounded close to tears. "I'm so glad your safe. Because I was such a coward…I made the wrong choice, didn't I? I should have gone with you. I should have been there to try and protect you. And in the end, even though I made that choice, you're still here to stand up for me. It's more than I should expect."

She put her arms around him, holding him tightly. She shut her eyes and breathed in his scent. It had only been weeks, but she had missed his warmth…even though she had tried to focus on the important tasks at hand. She had forced herself not to think about how worried she was about him, but every once in a while she would think "Is he being tortured right now, because Voldemort found out he helped me?" or "Is he dead, lost for the death eaters cause in some battle?"

She felt the tears come unwillingly, and her body shuddered with her tears.

Draco laughed through his own tears. He pulled her back a bit, his hands on her face, holding her like she was something precious. "What are _you_ crying about? Ridiculous."

She smiled too through her tears, finding it hard to do both simultaneously. "I'm glad your safe, too." She was able to make her mouth say.

Draco nodded and pulled away from her, wiping his eyes quickly on a sleeve. "Stupid. We should get going, like you said."

She nodded, wiping at her own face. But new tears took their place. It wasn't just Draco she was crying for. All the stress of this year had piled up, and she found that once she let go she just couldn't reel it back in again.

"Hey, hey, calm down." Draco said, holding her shoulders and trying to comfort her. He used his sleeve to wipe at her face, too. The sleeve came away dirty. Great, on top of it all she probably was a mess from the crumbling walls, the intense battles, and, of course, from flying on a dragon. She cried a bit harder.

Draco looked lost. "What is it? Are you ok?"

"I'm. Sob. Fine. Sob. Its just…sob. So many things, all at once. I need a bath, I'm tired, I lost people I cared about, and now I could lose you to Azkaban? I need a break…sniff…"

"Shhh…" Draco shushed, his voice loosing its usual sharp edge and becoming soothing. He held her for a while as she cried. When she found she didn't have any tears left, he pulled away. "Let's go." He said. "We'll get you home, and you can get some rest."

Leaning heavily on Draco, she nodded. He led her out the door and to an exit around the back of the castle, near the Quidditch field.

The bodies had been cleared out here, Hermione was relieved to see. Her head spun at the thought of seeing another dead body right now.

Draco rummaged in the back in the Slytherin storage locker, while Hermione waited on the bench in the Slytherin locker room. She hugged her arms to herself. She deserved a small breakdown after all that she'd been through. She was just happy Draco was helping her home, because she did _not_ want Harry or Ron seeing her like this.

Draco came out with an old broom, holding it with a look of disgust on his face. "Whatever. It will at least get us to the front gate. Old ugly thing."

It was amazing that Draco had gone from the one who was frightened to the one taking charge in such a short span of time. It was like something clicked once Hermione started to cry…

The ride to Hogwarts gate was short, but reminded Hermione of the trip to the cabin…

"Ok, it's your turn." Draco said as they landed. This time Hermione didn't fall on her face.

Hermione snapped out of her thoughts. "Huh?"

"Were here, and I don't know where we're going."

"Right. Ok." She grabbed his hand. Very easily she brought them both to her living room.

She plopped down on her familiar, puffy brown couch and stared around her. Home. She was home. She thought she might never be back here.

"Where is your family?" Draco asked, walking around the room. When Hermione had sent her parents away and erased their memories, she had also taken down all the pictures of the three of them together. The room looked somewhat bare without them.

"I got them out of the way of all this…they don't remember me, for now, and are out of the country."

Draco looked over from the black television to her. He nodded. "Sounds reasonable." He sat down beside her. "But tough. You're a rather brave person, you know?"

Hermione leaned into him, and let out a long breath, trying to relax. She felt tense, still keyed up.

Draco put a hand across her shoulders, and Hermione slipped down so she was lying across the couch, her head in his lap. After some time his hand on her shoulder moved to her hair, and he stroked it slowly. It felt nice…comfortable and warm.

"You know, your hair is actually very soft."

"Hmm? Actually? Like you expected it to not be?" Hermione asked in a sleepy voice, yawning.

Draco chuckled. "Sorry. I guess I didn't used to see you as being as beautiful as I do now. Nevermind. Just sleep."

And she did.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

She woke up to find that Draco had laid down behind her on the big comfy couch, his arms pulling her tight against him. Her body was molded to his, and she could hear his light snoring behind her.

She felt happy and content, a big change from yesterday. All thanks to Draco. He had handled her meltdown well, she had to admit.

His arm was laid heavily under her own, around her torso. His fingers were lightly touching her breast, now that she thought about it. She blushed.

He was definitely still asleep, so it was innocent. Right?

She looked up at the clock. It was still early; the sun had only just risen. She should make food.

She started to get up slowly, trying not to wake Draco, and his arm tightened around her. He let out a sleepy groan.

Burying his head in her hair, he asked, "What time is it?"

"Early." She answered. "You can sleep."

He moved his hand up to her neck and moved her hair out of the way, leaning over to kiss along the soft skin. Her breath caught as she felt his lips move down her neck.

His hand moved back down to her stomach, moving mischievously up.

She turned onto her back so she could look at him. "Just what do you think you're up to?" She asked in a half-joking accusatory tone.

He grinned. That's when they heard a loud "pop" from the kitchen. They both jumped up guiltily.

Hermione pulled her wand, which she had fallen asleep with. Draco tried to grab his, but couldn't find it. He reached down to the couch, searching in between the cushions frantically.

Just then a familiar figure rounded the corner.

"Hermione?" He said, standing in the doorway.

"Harry! Oh, it's just you!"

Draco had just managed to find his wand in the couch. He sighed, rolled his eyes, and pocketed it at the same time as Hermione put away her own.

Harry looked from her to Draco. "So I take it this is the emergency? Or…is he here because of…something else?"

"What…what do you mean? Er, I mean, yes this is the reason I wanted to talk with you today. Draco is, that is." She stumbled. Did Harry suspect what was going on between them? He knew she kissed him before, obviously, but did both him and Ron know there was more to it? They had thought Draco had forced the kiss on her before, or so she had thought. If Harry knew, then maybe it was stupid of her to be acting like it was a big secret. Ah! So confusing!

"But," Hermione added, "I was going to meet you later. What's with the early morning visit out of nowhere?"

Harry sighed. "I'm booked solid the rest of the day. I've been roped into doing some interviews and things. I only agreed because I figure it's a good thing for people to know that Voldemort is really and truly gone this time. I need to give some official statements, too."

"Official statements" is actually why I needed to talk with you. Draco's going to be on trial." Hermione cautiously said as they all sat down.

Harry nodded. "Of course he is."

Hermione frowned. "So, will you help back him up? Your visions…"

"Don't really matter."

Hermione froze. What was Harry playing at? He seemed suddenly cold, angry.

"What do you mean by that?"

"What visions?" Draco asked, and was promptly ignored.

"I mean that we asked Draco to come with us, we offered him protection." He looked to Draco. "I told you that you didn't get to choose the neutral route, since you had already chosen to be a death eater. You could have come with us, but you didn't. You chose to stay a death eater. End of story."

"Harry, you know there's a difference…"

"Yes, I know he's a slight step up from the other, crueler death eaters. But I can't testify that he wasn't a death eater, now can I? That's what he's charged with, right?"

Hermione started to make another protest, feeling anger well up inside, when Draco piped up. "No, I don't suppose you could say that."

Harry nodded.

Draco continued. "I don't deserve help from either of you. But I don't want to go to Azkaban, either. I didn't want to do…what I did." He said, quietly. He stared at the floor.

"Sorry, I can't buy it. I wouldn't mind explaining what I know, but if it sounds like I'm on your side in all this they'll let you go without any punishment. I don't think you deserve life in Azkaban, or anything drastic. But your decisions warrant some kind of punishment."

Hermione was silent. She felt completely conflicted. Her better judgment knew that Harry was right; Draco had made some bad decisions and he had to pay for them. But…

"Hasn't he paid enough for his decision to become a death eater? He went through some terrible things…"

"I know. But when we offered him a second chance he turned us down. He thought we would lose, and he'd get killed. So, for his sense of self-preservation, he stayed with the death eaters. He didn't just chose once; he had a second chance to make that choice."

No one said anything for a minute or two.

Hermione turned and stared straight at Harry. "Fine." She said.

"Fine?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Yes, fine."

He stared back at her, waiting for more. Draco was staring at her too, at this point. There was something terrifying in her voice; clipped and final.

But Hermione was too angry to say much more. She didn't want to lose her temper with Harry, but she was furious that he wouldn't help her the one time she was asking for it. She was furious that he had acted so cold, and had answered without a moment's hesitation. This may have been a favor asked for Draco's benefit, but it had still been a favored asked _by_ Hermione. She hadn't asked anything like this of him before.

She continued to stare pointedly at him.

"So…" he asked

"So?" She snapped, looking expectant. "If you don't have any other business on this pleasant visit, then _leave_." She growled.

Harry stared at her a minute, blinking, then stood. He looked over at Draco, his eyebrows scrunched as he thought. "Look, I didn't bring Ron here because I figured it was something like this. When both you and Draco were missing…look, whatever's going on with you two, just promise me you won't let Ron know." He glared at Hermione. "It's bad enough that _I_ can tell what's going on, let's just let Ron continue to be clueless."

Hermione glared back. "You need to leave, before I say something I'll regret."

"I guess the feeling's mutual. I'm out of here." And with a "pop" he disapperated.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

There was an awkward silence following Harry's departure.

"Look, I know that those two are, for some reason that escapes me, important to you…"

"Forget it." Hermione snapped. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I mean, nevermind. We all get angry with each other once in a while. One argument won't make Harry stop speaking to me forever…I think." She closed her eyes and put her head in her hands.

What was she going to do? What did Harry think of her? Did he not respect her anymore, think she was loose or something? He certainly was directing some anger at her. Why did he get a say in her personal life?

'Because he was your friend, and you betrayed him by "sleeping with the enemy," as it were.' Said a nasty little voice in her head.

Was this worth it?

Draco had a worried look on his face, sitting next to her. "Look," He said, taking a deep breath. It looked like it was extremely hard for him to say this. "You don't have to help me with this trial, if it messes with your life like this. You shouldn't have to give up anything just so I can stick around…" he looked pale. Yes, being selfless actually seemed to make Draco Malfoy sick. But for her, he would give up the one chance he has of skipping out on Azkaban? Too much. Yes, he was worth it.

"No, don't be ridiculous. Even if we weren't _involved_, I would still stick up for you for saving my life back there." She looked at him. "That's just the kind of person I am. I thought Harry would understand that, but apparently he's too angry with me right now to see reason. Oh, and there's the fact that he hates you."

"Well, yes, there's that both ways…"

She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Let's eat breakfast. There should be at least some poptarts or something left."

"Poppy-what?"

She smiled. "Muggle stuff. If you're hungry enough, then shut your trap and don't complain." She laughed.

He made a face jokingly, and followed her into the kitchen.

***

Before breakfast she had used her wand to clean up a bit. She'd worry about a real shower later…food comes first! Months in the woods had taught her that much.

As Draco resentfully ate the pastries (and pretended to find them awful), Hermione thought about what to do next.

"Let's see…they should send the trial date my owl. I can explain how you saved me, and how Harry had visions of you being forced to torture…"

"Wait, what? What is all that about, now?"

She sighed. "This is too long of a story, and you are much too out of the loop, but suffice to say that sometimes Harry could see what Voldemort-" Draco cringed as she said the name fully out loud, "-could see. Look, the name isn't cursed anymore. Harry's always been free with the name. _He's_ dead, now. Please tell me your not going to freak every time someone says it."

Draco made a face. "It just seems…wrong, to say it. I was brought up to use a more…respectful term."

Hermione scrunched up her face and rubbed it with her hands. They were in trouble. "Do me a favor? At the trial, don't you dare refer to him as "The Dark Lord," got it?"

Draco nodded slowly. "So…you know about some of the things I've done, then?"

She nodded, staring down at her half-finished poptart.

"And yet you still think I shouldn't be in Azkaban?"

She looked up at him, sitting across the small table. He was focused, waiting on her answer.

"I think exactly what I told Harry; you've paid enough for one bad choice. In the first place, it wasn't like you had a chance. Was there really and truly any way you could have told your father "No, I don't want to be a death eater?"

"No, but I wanted to be one, anyways. Or at least I did before I understood what it really meant."

She sighed. "And if you could go back now?"

"Of course I wouldn't want to be involved in all that. Like I said before, everything went way over the line." He took a bite of poptart. "And…I suppose now I have to admit that I was mistaken believing in all the pure-blood stuff, anyways…"

"Come again?" She asked, choking on her breakfast.

He looked away. "Yeah, yeah. You were right, in the end: where do you draw the line? If I believed that those who were not pure-bloods didn't deserve magic, and didn't deserve to be on top in the magical world, then I should have been on board for all aspects of the war. But I wasn't. I didn't want to hurt anyone…" He looked at her again. "And I couldn't image a world where someone as talented as you wasn't allowed to have a wand."

She let out a long breath. "I didn't know what your beliefs were at this point…back at the mansion…"

"You made good points, but I couldn't just let go, then. I still don't think I can be a muggle-hugger or anything, but I don't feel the same way anymore. Not since…the cabin."

"The cabin?" she asked, blushing furiously as he grinned.

"What you said, there, just before we were rudely interrupted? I realized that I wanted you, for real, and that in the world I was dreaming of people like you and me couldn't be together. It didn't make sense."

She nodded, and hesitatingly answered, "So, your saying you've changed."

"You loved me even when I hadn't. Why would I lie to you now?"

So, he had caught _that_ word back then. And that's what changed his mind about who he was and what he believed in? Then it was probably a good thing she had just said what she felt, even though she was embarrassed now.

It made her feel a sense of conviction about her need to help Draco stay out of Azkaban. He really and truly didn't believe in the death eater's cause by the end. He wasn't the hero type though- he didn't straight up switch to the good side, no. He didn't go with the three of them when Harry asked him to. But he wasn't the same as before.

But could she really use the fact that he cared about her as evidence to his innocence? That because the two of them had a relationship, he had come to see things differently? How could she prove that he had changed, without anyone else's testimony?

She set her face into a determined look. "You will not go to Azkaban, Draco. Even if you still believed in…well, pure blood superiority, the fact is that you didn't act on those beliefs of your own accord. You were forced to, to protect yourself and your family. Surely the judge will understand that…"

Draco just shook his head. "How can you prove something like that? You think every single other death eater won't be saying the same thing, or claim to have been under the imperius curse?

She bit her bottom lip, thinking. "Well, my testimony should help, at least…"

"Unless they find out we slept together."

She jumped a little, nearly sloshing the coffee she was drinking all over. "Wh..what?"

He gave her a look. "Come on. They would think you were totally biased. Or that I had ulterior motives for helping you…" He raised his eyebrows. "Maybe the only reason you think I deserve to be out of Azkaban is that you've fallen for me. They could just disregard your whole testimony."

She shook her head. "This is why we needed Harry's back-up on this. I can't believe him…" she sighed. "They're accusing you of being a death eater. We can't argue that, but is there anyone else who would know that you were forced into doing the crimes associated with being a death eater?"

Draco laughed. "If there were, I'd be dead! I had to do my damn best to pretend that I could do anything if it was in the service of the dark lord!"

"According to Harry, you weren't a great actor."

"Yeah, well…I did some things that made me feel sick. I didn't have to be enthused, like Aunt Bella." He shuddered at some memory. "I just had to do it and shut up."

"Like torture?"

He shut his eyes. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"But I need to know, if I'm going to get you out of this. Other death eaters might rat you out to get their sentence lowered."

"Yeah, from death kiss to life in Azkaban. Tough choice." He said sarcastically, his voice getting a bit higher near the end.

Hermione stood up. "We can't just sit here thinking of all this. Come on." There would be plenty of time for them to talk about the heavy stuff later. Draco looked very close to panicking. She didn't want to upset him any more right now.

"What, where?" He asked, finishing his breakfast hurriedly.

"Just…out. Anywhere. Groceries! And some clothes for you, so you can fit in here."

"Muggle clothes…"

"Yes. Have a problem with that? Get up"

He grinned. "Have I mentioned that you're really sexy when you're bossy?"

She just rolled her eyes.

"Look, just take off your top robe for now. The clothes you have on underneath can blend good enough for now."

"Oh, and now your getting me undressed. Very nice."

She smacked his shoulder, none too gently.

Draco took off his robe. His clothing underneath was just like what he wore at the mansion; very classy, and would only look somewhat dated to the muggle eye. Perfect.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The two of them walked side by side down the small street lined with shops. Every once and a while their hands would brush, and Hermione would have to fight the urge to grab his. They had to be careful; if anyone knew they were together…on a date? Did this qualify? Anyway, if anyone knew it would mess with her credibility. So they had to be good from now until the trial.

But it was really hard. Especially since all Hermione wanted was to be able to call this a "real date."

She smiled. A date. A muggle date. With Draco. It just seemed so ridiculous. No, things were still not normal enough for them to "date."

Draco was looking around, almost tripping on things here and there. Every time a car would whiz by his head would snap around, watching it carefully.

"Relax." Hermione whispered, embarrassed. He was really very obvious, and couldn't seem to keep the surprised look off his face. He seemed to alternate between disgusted and confused as he looked around.

"Why do they have to move so fast? What's controlling them? Are the muggles controlling them? That fast? How can you trust them not to miss and hit you?" He asked quickly, staying as close to the buildings and as far from the road as possible.

As one particularly large bus passed by Draco grabbed her sleeve and pulled her back closer to the shops with him. She tripped and fell into him.

"What are you doing?" She asked, straightening up. "They won't hit you. Look, lets just go in here."

She pulled him into a small shop, escaping the staring muggles on the street. It was a very young, hip store, with clothing racks lining the walls.

She wasn't really good at fashion and picking out clothes. She'd just have to try her best, though, since she had seen what happens when Wizards choose muggle outfits.

A tall man with long hair despite his bald spot came up to them.

"How can I help you?" He asked.

"Er, just looking, thank you." Hermione said, pulling Draco towards one of the racks. It had men's jerseys and some shorts.

"_This_ is what I have to choose from?" he asked, a look of terror on his face.

"No, there are other places we could look. I can't see you in shorts, anyways…"

"That would be the tiny trousers there?"

"Yeah…we can find somewhere else, but keep in mind my budget is very low…"

He made a noise that sounded like he was holding back a laugh. "I wouldn't have any problem paying, if any of them would take normal currency..."

She glared at him. He quickly added, "You know, I don't think this shop is that bad. It's not like I'll want these clothes after I can safely return to Wizard society…"

She glared at him again. "…er, I mean, whatever you think is best."

They settled on some jeans and a T-shirt. The shirt had a really cheesy print of a dragon on it. Hermione thought it was rather funny. There wasn't really anything much better in the store, so she bought it.

At the last minute she added some knock-off Prada sunglasses to the ensemble. Whatever they could do to keep him hidden until his trial was worth it. Draco changed into the clothes before they left, and seemed very uncomfortable, constantly pulling on the shirt.

"So, are you sure muggles wear all this stuff?" He asked, looking at his reflection in a window. "hmm...actually, I look pretty good with these sunny glasses on."

Hermione looked at him. Ok, the shirt was not her style, and it certainly didn't suit him, but he still fit in with other muggles. And with the sunglasses on, he did look really good. Like your stereotypical bad-boy image in movies. Yeah, she was really not liking their "no touching in public until the trial" rule.

She realized she was staring at him and shook her head. "Yeah, well, let's hurry and go get food then."

He grinned. "In a hurry to get home?"

"And why would I be?" She asked, walking on and pretending she didn't know what he was grinning about.

He leaned down, putting his mouth near her ear, and whispered, "Because there I could do things to make you cry out again."

Her face went crimson and she pushed him away. "Idiot." She said out loud, and whispered, "Quit acting so suspicious! When we're outside, we have to play it casual. At the very most, we _tolerate_ each other, as far as everyone else is concerned."

He laughed, happy that he had such an effect on her. Her face was still a very abnormal color, and she kept stealing glances his way.

"You know the best thing about these glasses?"

She sighed, forcing herself to look ahead where they were walking.

When she didn't encourage his answer, he went ahead anyways. "You can't tell where I'm looking."

She pretended to ignore him and said a bit too loudly, "This is the place! Let's get food."

He just laughed again.

She sent him a joking glare. "Are you trying to get a rise out of me?"

"Well…."

"Nevermind. Don't say it." And she continued into the market. She grabbed a basket and began loading groceries.

It was amazing, she found, how the most mundane things could be so much more entertaining when done with a Wizard raised in the Wizarding world. Draco, especially, was very cut off from all things muggle. And so, grocery shopping was a treat.

First of all, at just about every isle there were three or four boxes Draco would pick up and frown at. Hermione would have to explain that the pictures on the box were not what the food actually did. For instance, gushers…certain cereals…etc.

Then, there was of course the frozen food isle. Like when Hermione was a small child, Draco kept opening and closing the doors, watching how they got foggier when they were kept open.

"How the heck does this work? Do they ship in ice from somewhere?"

Hermione was surprised. "You want to know how muggle things work? Wow, that's a 180-degree change. Actually, a long time ago muggles did use ice. But I don't know how these work, myself…"

Draco just looked at her. "You don't know? How can you use something all the time that you don't understand?"

"How can you have security spells at your house that you don't understand?"

"Hmm…I suppose…"

And finally, there was the check out counter. Draco helped her unload the groceries onto the conveyer, then jumped as it moved forward.

"How's it just moving everything down without magic?" He whispered. "Is she pulling on it from that end?"

Hermione tried very hard not to laugh as she handed the lady her bankcard. The lady behind the counter was a young girl, chewing her gum and looking extremely bored with the world. She rolled her eyes at the two of them.

As they left the store, Hermione was laughing so hard she felt tears in her eyes.

"What? Why am I so funny?" Draco asked, bemused.

"It's just…the way you can't hide your amazement. What, did you think muggles just threw rocks at birds until they had dinner? Of course muggles find ways to make do without magic! Your like a little kid…it's very cute, actually." She said, continuing to giggle.

"Ah ha…"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh. It's just that your questions came across…kinda Arthur Weasley-like…"

"Ugh. Ok, no longer curious."

"No! Really, you were cute. You made shopping extremely fun, in fact."

He smiled. "That's me, everyone always says that. I'm just so damn adorable."

"Yeah, that's just what everyone always called you."

"Right?" He laughed. "Actually, I don't think I want to know what most Gryffindors really called me."

"No, you probably don't."

He grinned. "Just shut up and get us back to your house."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Hermione put away the groceries as Draco explored her house. As he put it, "You snuck around my house, poking around in my things. I get to do the same."

She had answered, "Yes, but I don't have any deadly traps around my house."

He had just laughed and headed for the living room and staircase.

Hermione didn't know what to think at this point. Their relationship was just so strange.

How could she have loved him, even before he had changed his mind about his death eater values? Was it because she knew he would change? Wasn't that the number one worst mistake girls make when falling in love?

But he did change. She had decided to believe in him, and so she had to believe that he was telling her the truth. She couldn't imagine it had been easy, him telling her she had been right before.

She had told him she loved him. But did _he_ love _her_? Is that what was he was saying, by explaining he had changed because his ideals didn't allow them to be together? What the hell is love, anyways? Can it really be pinpointed into one corny line of dialogue?

She shook her head. Thinking too much. Too philosophically, too.

Suddenly there was a loud "pop" in the room, and she swirled around. She didn't know who she had been expecting, but this was not it.

"Hey, Hermione!" Ginny said, plopping down at the kitchen table. She sighed. "It's only been a day, but I feel like it's been forever. I'm so tired…"

"Ginny! Here, I'll get you something to drink…" She reached into the now full fridge and poured them both some juice.

"What brings you here, of all places?"

"Just…needed to get away from some things, and Harry said you'd be here." She said, drinking her juice and avoiding eye contact.

"uh, huh…" Harry had told her what, exactly? That didn't matter right now. Ginny was there at the battle yesterday, too. Ginny had lost a lot. And she seemed exhausted, dark circles under her eyes. "Are you ok, Ginny? How is…everyone?"

"There's…several funerals, tomorrow. It'll be in the Prophet, but I wanted to let you know."

Hermione felt a heavy lump in her throat. She knew that if Ginny cried, she would lose it, too. "I'll be there… I wasn't here earlier, but I'm sure an owl dropped my copy of the Prophet in a bush somewhere. I'll dig around for it."

She was silent for a minute. Would it be too much to ask when Fred's was? To say the name? Probably. She should just hope she could find her Prophet later.

She sat down by Ginny, and sipped at her glass.

"Harry's got a lot of things to stress about, you know." Ginny said, changing the subject.

"I know, everyone wants to talk with him. It's not like he's not used to that crap, right?"

Ginny nodded. "It's just day one and he's already sick of it." She looked up. "It's funny how someone so famous can hate publicity so much."

Hermione laughed. "Yeah, he's always been like that. It's just one of the things that makes him such a good guy. He's not full of himself, that one."

"Most of the time." Ginny added, grinning.

"So…now that it's all over, are you going to get any of his scarce time?"

Ginny's grin grew. "That's part of why he's frustrated. He defeated the scariest dark wizard of our time yesterday; he's earned a break. He wanted to just stay at the Burrow…to hang out with me for awhile, but then the reporters came!" She sighed. "I don't know when this will all calm down, but we won't be seeing much of each other until then. I swear their tailing him!"

"I'm sure it'll never blow over, not completely. He's going to be in history books! But everyone should stop badgering him soon enough for interviews…"

So, she wasn't the only one with a complicated dating scenario. She had forgotten about poor Ginny, waiting and worrying about whether her love and her brother were going to come home alive. And now, she had to wait for some alone time with Harry…

"So, has Harry…said anything about me?" Hermione asked, carefully.

Ginny gave her a look, raising an eyebrow. "YOU are another of his stressors, my friend. Look, I know he can be a bit pig-headed…he is a _boy_, afterall…but you two need to make up. He won't tell Ron why he came back so upset this morning. So I had to deduce that it was something to do with you."

Hermione pressed her lips into a thin line. "I have no problem with Harry. It's the other way around."

"What do you mean? What stupid thing did he do? You shouldn't take any of it to heart, he's had a very stressful time…"

"I know! I was there. He went through even more than me, I know. But I'm stressed too! I have things to worry about, too! And he is _not_ helping! She said, her voice rising.

Ginny grabbed her hand. "Hey, it's ok, Hermione. I'm sorry…I'm not taking sides…I don't even know what's going on…"

"What's going on?" Said a voice from behind Hermione, at the kitchen doorway.

Ginny jumped up, nearly tripping over her chair as she dug out her wand.

"Ginny! It's ok! He's supposed to be here!" Hermione said, jumping up with her hands out in a gesture urging Ginny to put away her wand.

Draco hadn't even gone for his. Hermione suspected he was getting used to having people point wands at him. He looked slightly bored, in fact, the sunglasses placed up on top of his head.

For her part, Ginny put away her wand after Hermione's panic. "If you say so."

"I do…" and with that, Hermione explained all about the trial, and about how Draco had saved her before (leaving out large…compromising chunks, of course).

"So…if he goes out in the wizarding world, he'll probably have an angry mob after him." Ginny said calmly, back to drinking her juice.

"I'm much more popular now, huh?" Draco commented.

Ginny looked skeptical. "So, your saying you didn't commit any crimes?"

"No." Draco said quietly.

Her face softened. "Ok, he admits he's a bit guilty. But he doesn't deserve Azkaban?"

"No!" Hermione said. "I mean…he didn't hurt people because he enjoyed it. He wasn't given a choice."

Ginny nodded. She gave Draco a calculating look. "Yeah, you don't seem like the evil type. Occasionally cruel, in the way most Slytherins…er, kids our age can be, but not a torturer. I don't like you. But Azkaban…" She thought about it. "I'm no expert on law, but I trust Hermione's judgment. Just don't screw up and piss her off, cause she's the only ally your likely to maintain."

Draco sighed, and to Hermione's surprise, sunk into one of the chairs at the table with her and Ginny. He saluted her lazily and said, "Got it. Couldn't agree more."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"So…" Ginny said, turning to Hermione and pointing a thumb at Draco. "_This_ little blond creep would be why Harry's peeved, huh?"

"Ouch." Draco said, pretending to take offense, but his heart wasn't in it. He was feeling crappy enough about his life that he couldn't be as defensive as he once was.

Hermione's eyebrows scrunched together, and she stared angrily at her half empty (not half full) cup.

"Twit. Getting worked up about something that just shows what a good natured person you are." Ginny exclaimed suddenly, and grabbed Hermione's hand again, giving it a sympathetic squeeze.

Hermione looked up, happy and surprised to find someone taking her side, at least a little.

Then she realized that Ginny didn't know the whole story. Harry wasn't just upset that she was helping out with Draco's trial. He was upset about other things she had been doing, or he suspected she had, with Draco.

Draco was looking from one of them to the other, his hands resting behind his head as he leaned back in his chair. He obviously didn't know how to react to the situation. Usually, he would have said some rather offensive things about Potter, which of course would only have succeeded in making Ginny leave in a huff. But Hermione was friends with Ginny…and Potter. He looked like he was trying his best to just hold his tongue. 'If you can't say something nice…'

"Ginny…Harry has a lot of reason's to be upset with me. But I need him to help out with this trial. He's the only witness to what was going on behind the scenes with Draco and Voldemort." Draco cringed, but Ginny held up well, upon hearing the name. "It was _his_ visions. If I bring them up, and Harry refuses to take the stand and prove I'm not making it up…"

"Yeah. I can see that going badly. Having only your testimony might not be enough. The question comes down to this: love of a hero and good friend of the Chosen One VS hate of a former death eater? Things are too crazy and hysterical. Hard facts may not be enough, these days, what with all the death eater trials going on."

"Exactly." Hermione agreed. "Which is why Harry said he won't help out." 'or one of the reason's' Hermione thought, really not wanting to fill Ginny in on her rather taboo relationship. "If he takes the stand, the facts won't matter. Draco will get off without further ado."

"But Harry knows Draco shouldn't go to Azkaban."

"Right."

"So….I don't see the problem."

Hermione sighed. "It's a moral thing. Harry doesn't want people to make his word law. It should be up to a court to look at the facts."

"But facts won't help! Everyone's pretty biased about anyone even slightly associated with death eaters right now!"

"Right."

Ginny sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Ok…so Harry won't help because he wants the judge to look at the facts, not the Hero's opinion. But without Harry, we don't have the facts. But even if we have the facts and not Harry, the facts alone might not help with a biased judge. Do I have this right?"

Hermione was getting a headache, much as she suspected Ginny had. "Yes."

Ginny thought for a moment, biting her bottom lip. "I'll talk to him. It makes more sense that he just bite the bullet and make a case for Draco then let him to go Azkaban for life." She sighed, and looked up at Draco. "Or worse." She added.

"If anyone can talk to him, it's you Ginny…" Hermione started, a bit hesitant to continue. "…but…well…I'm sure he'll bring it up if you try to talk to him about this…there's, er, a bit more he's upset about…"

She felt very hot and uncomfortable. How the hell could she say this? What if Ginny was pissed too…what if one of them explained to the wrong person that Hermione was biased? The less people who knew about her and Draco the better, right? For the case?

But looking up at Ginny waiting expectantly, she realized she really needed an ally and friend right now. She felt isolated with her secret. Only her and Draco. She felt as if she had pushed her friends away, and she was overwhelmed with a deep sadness.

Ron couldn't know, so she didn't want to talk to him. Harry did know, and now she couldn't talk to him. Ginny didn't know, so should she take the chance that she might leave her alone, too?

Hermione was silent in her thoughts long enough that it became awkward. Ginny was trying to be patient, since there seemed to be something important Hermione wanted to say, but her patience was wearing out.

Draco's eyes were wide, and he was staring at Hermione. He was probably thinking along the same lines as Hermione about the trial. Or was he worried that she would lose another friend over him? She wasn't quite sure.

"What!? What else could there be? I can't do anything to help if you don't tell me, so out with it!" Ginny finally burst.

Hermione wasn't good at this confession thing. She knew she hadn't done anything wrong, logically. But she still couldn't help feeling like she had done something awful and disgusting to her friends. Sleeping with Draco, and continuing to be with him…it just wasn't something she could defend among the people she cared about. She didn't like that it felt as if she had committed some crime, herself, for falling in love with the wrong guy.

"Excuse me. Be right back." Hermione said, and fled. Fleeing from an awkward situation, hmm….it sounded familiar. But dammit, she needed to escape and think. She ran to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face.

***

Draco found himself left alone with a very confused Ginny Weasley. The two avoided eye contact for a minute or two. When it was clear that Hermione would be awhile, Ginny turned to the silent Draco.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Hmm?" Draco asked, still not looking at her and trying to avoid the subject. He didn't want Hermione pissed at him, afterall, and so he was trying to be on his best behavior with Ginny. And the only way he could be on his best behavior around a Weasley was to not say a word.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Look, you can say whatever stupid thing you want to me. If I promise not to get mad at Hermione, will you just tell me what's going on? I know you know. I also know you're just bursting with annoying little insults, but if it'll get me the truth, out with it."

Draco breathed a sigh of relief. He decided at that moment to take her promise to heart, and just unload on her.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

His familiar sneer back in place, he slowly turned to Ginny.

In his nastiest voice, he began. "Thank you, so much, for your _permission _to speak my mind. You and all your lowbred family and annoying little friends want me in Azkaban- end of story. If they feel for me anything close to what I feel for them, they would never want me near their preciously guarded Hermione. Potter would rather I end up in Azkaban then that I be…intimate with their little book-worm princess."

Ginny's eyes went wide at that, but she listened and fought to ignore his snide comments stuck into his explanation.

"Potter would also rather have her be as hurt and confused as she is, in order to punish her for choosing me over your dorky brother. Well, for now. I don't know how long she'll want me around if all her idiot friends abandon her. Who's the bad guy now?"

He was leaning over the table further and further as he spoke. Finishing, he sat back rather angrily into his chair, arms crossed.

Ginny continued to stare at him. "Are we finished ranting?"

Draco shot her a glare.

"Ok, here's my take on all this: Your personality is as horrible as ever, but Hermione must see something when other's aren't around. Either way, that's not up to me, or Harry, or even Ron, to decide. _But_, Hermione has been keeping this a secret, right? That's not right. When the hell did all this happen, anyways? How?!"

Draco sighed. "When I saved her life, in Canada."

"It was in Canada?"

"Nevermind. She came looking for a horcrux, apparently; nearly died, and I saved her ass. Like she said. But, being stuck together for several days we found out that we don't clash too horribly together. One thing led to another…"

"And you too…what? Kissed?"

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Yeah…sure…"

Ginny's mouth fell open. "And you two slept together?! Am I right?! In the middle of the _war_?" Ginny was blown away. Hermione? It just didn't sound like her.

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Do you think I'm lying? Whatever. The point is that Weasley was too dense, apparently, to figure out what went down, while Harry saw the not-so-subtle hints of our goodbye kiss and worked his tiny brain to figure it out."

"Well, he probably wouldn't be as pissed if Hermione hadn't lied…"

"Right." He laughed. "There's a conversation I would actually pay to see. 'Gee, Potter, seen as how were such good friends I just had to tell you that I'm banging…"

"Alright, fine." Ginny interrupted, "I see your point." She hesitated. "Harry didn't…walk in on something this morning, or anything, did he…?"

Draco laughed. "That would have been hilarious!" Ginny glared. "Well…ok, maybe it would have made things worse…but no, we haven't done anything _inappropriate_ since we met last time, during the war. In fact, we can't have anyone find out anything is going on at all…we don't know when my trial is, but whenever it's held we can't have Hermione appear biased…"

"Even though she is horribly biased."

Draco paused, then asked, "Do you think she's wrong to defend me, too?"

Ginny sighed. This was too complicated. "No. We should have all learned by now that biased or not, love is never something to scoff at. She wouldn't be with you if she didn't love you. If she loves you, then all the more reason I'm on her side in making sure you don't go to Azkaban."

At the word "love," Draco's face turned pink.

"Are you…blushing?" She asked, completely thrown off. Maybe there _was_ a side of Draco that he kept hidden from everyone else. Nah…

"No…It's just…your are not the person I'd want to discuss all this with, I just saw that Hermione wasn't able to, but wanted to. Can we just drop it, and agree that you'll talk to Potter for her?"

Ginny smiled a very "I have a scheme" smile, and said sweetly 'If Harry has to tolerate you, then you have to tolerate him."

"W…what?"

"You heard me. I'll talk to Harry, but you have to stop with your insults. I believe that your not just using Hermione, but I don't think he believes that. In any case, I'll keep this secret until after the trial. But in return you have to make an effort to get along with Harry. I want you to talk with him…"

"Oh, hell no!"

She ignored him. "…and explain that you're not out to hurt his friend. Call a truce. I'm not expecting you two to become 'best friends forever' or anything stupid, but I do expect you two to handle this like adults."

Draco sighed and rubbed his forehead with his hand. Ginny continued, "If I see so much as a glimpse of your wand, it's over- I won't help with anything to do with you."

"Me? What makes you think I'll be the one to start-"

She interrupted, "And, if Harry pulls his wand or anything else stupid…" She smiled, thinking back on something. "Nevermind. He'll also be missing out on something."

"Gross. Fine. Whatever. I'll talk to Potter."

Ginny clapped her hands. "Ok, then I'll bring him by tomorrow. And I'll leave _you_ to explain to Hermione that you told me everything. Lovely visit, but I can't stand another moment with you. Bye!"

And with that, she was gone.

***

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. She had to tell Ginny all that was going on, or she would lose Harry. She couldn't stand the thought of never being able to talk with her friend again…of him not wanting to see her again…

She steeled her courage, and headed back to the kitchen.

She found Draco sitting entirely by himself at the table, Ginny's empty glass sitting in her place.

"What happened?!" Hermione exclaimed, looking around in the hopes that Ginny was just…hiding or something.

"She left." Draco said, grumpily.

Hermione stared at him.

He raised his hands. "It wasn't like that; I didn't scare her away or anything, promise."

Hermione looked relieved, and sat down next to him. "Then want to explain to me what happened?"

Draco explained, as quickly as possible, that he had risked telling Ginny about the two of them, and that it had gone over well enough. He also grudgingly explained that Harry would be over tomorrow.

"She…she was ok with it?"

"Yes. Oh, she hates me, but she's ok with it. You know, she's actually very adult in her judgments."

Hermione nodded. "Ginny is pretty mature. Which is why I thought she would at least yell at me for this..."

Draco frowned. "So, you think the rational expectation for our situation is that you should be punished?" His lips twitched at the last word, but he fought back making a dirty comment. "Hermione…do you think it's wrong, being with me?"

She didn't say anything.

"Do you think…the whole 'death eater' thing…do you think I'm making you somehow 'dirty' with all that? Because your with me?"

She looked up at him. He seemed worried, and deep in thought. Did he think of himself as tainted by the things he was forced to do? Was she making it worse by seeming ashamed of him? How horrible was she?!

The connection was not lost on Hermione. His whole view on life related to how 'clean' one's blood is. Now he'd begun to see that one's actions are even more important. By using the term 'dirty,' he was referring to his actions, not blood. Throughout his life, there were few things that could put you in lower esteem than being 'dirty.' What he thought of himself right now worried Hermione.

She couldn't let him hate himself, or think so low of himself. What would be left of him if he thought he really deserved Azkaban?

"No!" she said, forcefully. "Listen, Draco; a bit of guilt shows that you're a good human being. But you can't think of yourself as 'dirty.' No matter what anyone…" she looked away from him, "…called me, I never felt like I was a bad person because I knew I was a brilliant witch, whoever my parents were."

"Sorry…" he began, but she cut him off.

"I've been terrible, acting like I was ashamed of you! Because I really know that you are innocent, that you didn't want to hurt anyone! If I thought you were the kind of person capable of getting joy out of torture, I would never have even _talked_ with you. You don't have evil in you, Draco! You have to know that, too."

She leaned over, leaving her chair slightly to kiss him. She slid out of her chair and leaned over with her arms around his neck. He kissed her back lightly, then harder as he pulled her into his lap.

She broke the kiss, and said softly, "I want to show you how much I'm not ashamed of you. I want to show you how much I love being close to you…" she kissed him again, softly, "How much I love touching you…"

"Hermione…honestly, your feeling guilty for making _me_ feel bad about myself? I still haven't really apologized for how I treated you before…"

"Past. Forget it. All that matters to me is that you don't feel that way about me now."

"No, never again. I could never overlook what a great person you are, now that I know you."

Hermione thought for a moment, and commented, "You know how people say, "we'll look back on this and laugh…?"

Draco laughed lightly. "Right, we have _sooo_ much to laugh about regarding our times together at Hogwarts." He rolled his eyes. "Although there is some strange irony to all of this, huh?"

"Like a rip off of "Pride and Prejudice," actually."

"What?"

"Muggle book. Nevermind. I'll make you read it eventually."

Draco looked skeptical on the notion of being _made_ to read something, but Hermione closed the subject by nuzzling his neck. She breathed in deeply, loving the smell of him, and the warmth of him.


	25. Chapter 25

This chapter also rated M!

Chapter 25

She grabbed his hand, pulling him out of his seat. "Have you seen the whole house, then? It's not very big…"

He nodded, his mind very far away from thoughts about her _house_, of all things. His eyes were full of memories and desires that would have made Hermione blush, if she had been looking.

Instead, she was leading him further back into the house. The two entered a small bedroom.

The room was painted a sensible (not boring, _sensible_) cream color. There were various pictures hung on the walls, only one or two of which moved. The moving pictures were, of course, of her and her friends at Hogwarts, and several small Gryffindor flags and knick-knacks were up here and there as well.

Draco made a face. "Yeah, I figured this was your room; blaringly obvious."

She smiled. "Yep. I had to put up with your house before; now you're in _my_ muggle-meets-magic home."

Before she could say another word, however, she found herself pinned against the wall, with Draco pressed along the length of her body. His lips pressed into hers in a hungry sort of way; fast, frantic, and rough.

Her body tingled in excitement. She was quite the instigator this time. Having Draco in her room seemed so surreal, so unbelievable a picture…and she liked that.

She grabbed the belt loops on his waist, pulling him in so he was pressed to her as tightly as possible.

His breath was hot as the two pulled away, panting from their long kiss. He dug his hands in her hair and kissed her again, running his warm tongue over hers.

His hands traveled down to her sides, then slid lower and over her hips. He reached around behind her and, grabbing onto her butt, pulled her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, getting the hint.

This pushed him harder to her, and he let out a small noise like a growl. Hermione felt him hard and large pressed against her, and she wished he didn't have those damn ugly jeans on now.

He pulled her away from the wall and dropped the both of them onto her bed heavily, pushing against her urgently.

"Draco…" She said into his mouth.

He quickly pulled off his shirt and returned to her mouth. He moved to whisper in her ear in a voice laced with sex, "What do you want me to do?"

She blushed furiously. She couldn't play quite like that; she was embarrassed at the answers that came to mind. She was new at all this!

Draco chuckled. "Nevermind. We'll just have to do this again and again until I figure out what you like."

Hermione's face felt like it was on fire. Him _talking_ about all this made her more embarrassed than actually _doing_ it. But at the same time…that evil grin he wore when he talked was very sexy…

"Just shut up." She said, and caught his mouth as he laughed.

She reached up and ran her hands over his chest. His skin was smooth and soft…

She suddenly realized she wanted to be on top of him, to look down and touch and kiss him, so she made a movement to flip them. But Draco would have none of it.

He grinned into their kiss and said "Not yet."

He pulled at the hem of her shirt, pulling it off along with her bra.

He moved down, meeting Hermione's eyes as he flicked out his tongue along the tip of her tit. She blushed and gasped, closing her eyes. He moved up and touched her face.

"Open your eyes…I like making you blush…" He said in a low voice.

She did as he asked, the blushing included, as he continued to kiss and bite gently on her breasts. He kissed down her soft stomach, undoing the button and zipper of her jeans. He peeled the tight pants and panties off of her in the quickest movement possible, then kissed along her collarbone, pressing against her naked form.

She loved the feel of his skin on hers, moving over her. His chest brushed against the stiff tips of her breasts and she shivered. She felt warm and wet. She needed him inside her, filling her up.

But he just continued to kiss her, moving down once again.

"Please…Draco…"

He moved his eyes up to meet hers, laughter playing in them.

His hands danced along her body, caressing her, and moved down her legs on either side of him. His next move made Hermione gasp in surprise. His tongue moved over her, touching her in places that made her moan. She felt something building in her, and squirmed at his attentions. He continued to use his tongue to move and lick, and sucked gently on a particular place that had Hermione crying out.

He wiped his mouth on his arm as he stood up, taking off his jeans. As he moved back on top of her, however, she pushed back on his chest, putting him on his back on the bed.

He laughed. "You're determined to have the upper hand, then?"

She moved on top of him, biting and sucking on his neck.

She moved so he slid into her slickly from her wetness. She moaned and sat up straight on top of him.

It felt deeper this way. Like there was more…

She began to set a pace, moving forward and back. Draco moved underneath her, holding her hips.

Hermione moved faster and faster, feeling him touch her deep again and again. She gasped a moaned, which was almost too much for Draco. He watched her with a kind of fascination as her hair bounced forward and back with her body. He could feel himself coming close, and closed his eyes in an effort to hold out.

She finally felt the pressure break and let out a loud cry.

He groaned, and in a quick and rough movement flipped the two of them over. Now on top, Draco pounded into her hard and fast. He finally pressed forward as deep as he could, gasping for air as he came inside her.

After a moments pause he pulled out and dropped down by her side, breathing hard.

He turned to her and raised his eyebrows. "Not going to pick a fight again now like last time, are you?"

Breathless, she shook her head. "I wouldn't want to spoil the chance of _that_ happening again."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Draco yawned, exhausted. Hermione snuggled up to him, pulling the blankets over them both.

It was only around 3pm by this point, but the two fell asleep anyways. They were on a very wonky schedule. Then again, no school, and no work as of yet…all they had to worry about was the trial, and no matter how weird their schedule_, that_ was going to be a headache.

It was dark by the time Hermione woke up. She was _starving_. She looked over at the still sleeping Draco, his hair a mess. She leaned over and kissed his cheek softly, and he stirred.

He rubbed his eyes and asked in a rough voice, "What time is it?"

"About 10."

"AM or PM?"

"Does it matter? Come on, I'll make some food."

She started to move over him to get out of the bed. He reached out and held her in place above him, hands at her waist. He pushed her back down and rolled over on top of her, the sheets tangling around them, separating them.

She blinked. "What?"

"Not so fast." He smiled. "How about some 'pillow talk?"

She just blinked again, confused.

"What…do you have something you want to talk about? You can talk in the kitchen, you know…" She was _really_ hungry.

He laughed, and she felt the rumble of it in his chest pressed against her. "I'm not letting you go until I set a few things straight."

"Why? What's wrong?" Hermione couldn't help feeling self-conscious. What did he need to set straight? Was it about…

"It's about what you said before….at the cabin?"

She felt her heart sink. Yep. Of course. Why was he going into that? He just loved to make her embarrassed…

"Yeah…" She said quietly, averting her eyes.

"Well…did you mean it, really?"

Ok, here was the chance to take back the embarrassment of letting that slip. But she did love him, then and now. But it was so soon…she must have seemed ridiculous.

She mustered up her courage, closed her eyes, and said, "Yes. I…do love you. I'm sorry. I know it's childish to say it so soon…I mean, we don't even have a definition for our relationship…but I couldn't have slept with you if I didn't love you; that's just what I believe…" She was rambling. Great.

He kissed her, just the barest brush of his lips on hers.

"I love you…" He whispered, low enough that she hardly heard it.

Her heart thumped in her chest. "W…what?"

"You heard me." He said, obviously not about to repeat it. "And, don't you dare go worrying, as you always do, and wondering if I'm just saying that because you said it. I've had a while to think about it. I mean it. I want to stick around with you if this trial goes right…"

She was completely dumbstruck. What he said was so sweet, more so than she thought she'd ever hear out of him. He loved her, too? And he _told_ her? It seems like something he wouldn't say often or frivolously, so she cherished the moment.

Then there was the mention of the trial…what would she do, now, if he ended up in Azkaban afterall? Well, after sending Harry howlers every day for the rest of his life….

She would be crushed. It almost would have been better if they didn't love each other; if this was just a fling brought on by the hardships of the war. But as it was…

She was so happy right then, and so very scared at the same time.

***

The two of them sat at the small kitchen table, enjoying the microwave meals Hermione had prepared. Easier than wandworked food, even. Draco was too hungry to complain about the muggle food, which Hermione was grateful for.

That was when Hermione remembered something.

"The Prophet!" she cried, and jumped up.

"What?"

"We were out, so the owl probably dropped it in the bushes! I have to find it; I told Ginny I would be _there_!"

And with that she fled out the front door, her wand lighted for her search.

Draco stared after her. He decided he would be most useful cleaning up, and proceeded to wash the trays the dinners were in. The water made them fall apart, and Draco was confused. Cardboard trays don't exist in the wizarding world, afterall.

Hermione came back in looking rather pale, slamming the front door.

Draco looked up from the mush in the kitchen sink.

"What…?"

Then he saw that she was carrying two things- one newspaper and an envelope.

"When it rains it pours. Now I have to read the obituaries _and_ find out the trial date."

She moved off into the living room. Draco dried off his hands on a towel and followed. He couldn't keep the worried look off his face.

Her brow was wrinkled, and she was staring at the letter when Draco entered the room. He sat down by her on the couch, fidgeting as she read.

"What? What does it say?"

She looked up at him. Taking a deep breath, she read.

Mr. Draco Malfoy,

Due to accusations of the crime of being a death eater, including crimes of murder and torture using unforgivable curses, you are scheduled to appear at the Ministry of Magic at 13:00, on the 16 of June. Punishment of these crimes, if proven guilty, include a **minimum** of 20 years imprisonment at Azkaban prison.

She cut off. "That's all the important bits."

"The 16th!? That doesn't give us much time…what's today's date?"

After everything that had been happening, Hermione wasn't even sure anymore, and hadn't checked recently. She looked at the Prophet on her lap.

"The 13th. For the next hour, anyways." She looked up at Draco, slightly panicked. "So…that gives us tomorrow, the next day, and then half a day."

Draco nodded, looking down at the carpet. Hermione grabbed his hand. She didn't know what else to say. She had her testimony- that was about it.

"Maybe…Ron was there when Harry had his visions- he can back up my story, at least. But I'm not sure anyone can use visions as evidence, except for the Chosen One, of course…

Draco just looked disbelieving.

He was right. If Harry wasn't mature enough to help her out despite being angry with the situation, then what made her think Ron would? No, Ron probably didn't even know that she was trying to help Draco…or that he had spent the last few nights at her house…ah, crap.

She let out a deep breath, eyes searching the room as if she hoped to find a clue there. Her mind was a million miles away, pouring over all the possible ways out of this mess. None came to mind.

"Harry's it. I'm a friend of the chosen one; one of the few who worked in the secret mission to stop Voldemort." Draco glanced her way, but tried not to cringe again. "But that might not be enough. We need him. I just have to try my best to change his mind when he visits later…thank you, Ginny, for that."

Draco scoffed. "Right. I'm supposed to somehow call a truce with him, and that may make him stop being angry with _you_, but it doesn't meant he'll help me out. He's made his feelings on the matter clear: I belong in Azkaban."

"He said he didn't think you deserved to be there…"

"Yeah, he said not for life, but he defiantly wants me to suffer for what I did." Draco avoided her eyes. "Actually, that's probably about right…but I don't know if I could survive Azkaban…"

Hermione didn't want to admit it, but she felt that he was right about that. Draco had become someone precious to her, but she wasn't fooling herself about who and what he was. He just wasn't the kind of person who could be relied upon to be brave, to fight on even when things got tough…to survive Azkaban, when he felt that he did in fact do many wrong things…

He was cunning, and he was not afraid to do what he needed to survive, even if it was questionable. He was a Slytherin. But, redeemingly, he was also sickened by the suffering of others (at least now that he had seen it all close up), had a sense of humor, and was in _love_ with her. She could explain all this, though, and it wouldn't be enough for her friends to accept this. This was a matter of a deep, reciprocal hate that had set on from the first year of Hogwarts and lasted seven years…


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Draco was silent for a long time, staring down at his hands in his lap. Hermione didn't know what to say; how could she help him? She felt useless…

"There is something else…I could do…" Draco said quietly.

"What? What do you mean? You have a way to help your case?"

Draco let out a bitter laugh and said, "Case? No, this would most certainly _not_ help my case." He looked up at Hermione, sitting next to him with a questioning look. "I'm talking about running away. Fleeing the country."

Hermione jumped up. "No! You can't do that! Are you completely out of your _mind_?! When they find you…"

"I just have to make sure the Aurors _don't_ find me. I'll go somewhere far away and hide." He scrunched up his eyebrows. "But, this does leave you with some trouble…you vouched for me, afterall….got me out of prison for the time being…"

Hermione's mouth was gaping open. She couldn't believe he was seriously talking about this. Ok, she could believe it. But it wasn't right.

"Running away will cause more problems then it will fix, Draco! I'm not worried about the implications for me; I'm worried about you being caught!" Inside, however, she was thinking about never being able to see him again…

Draco ignored her and continued. With a defiant look he said, "You could tell them. Tell them about our relationship; make it seem like I was using you all along. Tell them I lied to you…about how I loved you. How could they blame you for being the victim?"

He said this in a sad voice, not looking up at the woman towering over him with a frustrated look on her face.

Hermione was shocked. How could he expect her to do that, to tell everyone she had been duped? To make him seem like the bad guy, when she knew he wasn't?

"I'm not that selfish." Hermione said.

Draco stopped her before she could continue. "Sometimes being selfish can be a good thing; sometimes you need to think about yourself to survive. Sometimes it's ok to worry about your own happiness, just a little."

"But there's no way I could be selfish if it meant I had to walk all over your name." she sighed. "Please, please don't talk about running away on this…"

"I can't go to Azkaban. We don't have any hard evidence, _at all_, that I don't belong there. Do the math." He grabbed her hips and pulled her closer to him, so she was standing in between his knees. He didn't look up at her at first, just stared at her stomach in front of him. "I'm being selfish- so sue me. Can I make one more incredibly selfish suggestion? I promise you don't have to take it too seriously."

She let out a shaky breath. He was really scaring her. Would he just walk out, now…like she had done before? Only for all the wrong reasons?

"What?" She asked softly.

He met her eyes, looking down at him. "Come with me."

The irony of the situation was not lost on Hermione. This whole scene seemed incredibly familiar. Hadn't she just asked him the same thing? And what had been his answer?

He was just staring up at her, not even breathing, waiting for her answer.

What was she supposed to do? How could he ask her that? It was selfish! She had her life here, and her friends…no reason to run…

But he was looking up at her with such pleading eyes.

She took a deep breath. But she had paused too long for Draco.

He burst out, "Sorry! No, you can't do that. You're not the one in trouble here; you chose the right side in this war! Ignore what I said- it's nothing…" He buried his head in her stomach, his hands snaking under her shirt just a bit so he could feel her skin. His thumbs moved back and forth, caressing her.

"Draco…" She ran her hands through his short hair, holding his head to her. Then she realized why he was hiding his face. He was crying silently, but a rogue sob gave him away. Her voice became soft. "Wait until after Harry comes. Let me try and reason with him. If that fails…let me try and talk with Ron. Let me use up all our options, then…"

She took a deep breath. She couldn't cry too! She steadied herself.

"Then you can escape. And…I'll think about coming with you. I don't want to be away from you. Maybe I'm being stupid and love struck and jumping into everything too fast, but I do love you. If it's between letting you go into danger alone and never seeing you again or following you…I guess I don't have a choice at this point."

Draco laughed into her stomach, in between his tears. "See? Would it have been so hard for _me_ to say that a couple of weeks ago? What an idiot…"

She continued to stroke his hair and let him hold her, thinking about their strange situation.

***

After a while Draco stood up. "I'll be right back…bathroom…" he said, and left the room without letting Hermione see his face.

The front of her shirt was wet.

She sighed, falling to the couch. That's when she remembered the Prophet.

She picked it up and riffled through it violently until she came to the page she was looking for. Or, rather, page_**s**_. The obituaries were significantly longer, the day after the battle at Hogwarts.

By the time Draco returned to the room, Hermione had lost her resolve not to cry. She was absolutely shaking with sobs as she read about all the deaths of people she loved, people she knew, people she had sat next to in class, and people she had never seen before.

***

She didn't think she could handle _all_ the funerals, but there were a couple she had to go to. Fred at 10, Lupin and Tonks at noon. She hadn't seen their wedding, but she would see their funeral. Aw, Hell…

She was in the process of riffling through her school trunk, trying to find something appropriate to wear in 9 hours…

Draco was watching her from the doorway with his arms crossed, not saying anything.

It was a good distraction, looking for the appropriate dress-robes. She was able to check the tears; force herself away from her sobbing.

There was, however, the very real problem that she had never been to a real wizard funeral…no one she was incredibly close to had died, before. Classmates and comrades in the Order, yes, but not close friends.

"What the hell can I wear? Do wizards wear black? I don't have black dress-robes….or does one not dress formally, at all?"

Draco sighed, and walked over to crouch by her trunk. She had robes strewn all over the floor, all deemed useless for the occasion. She didn't have much other than her school robes, however, so she wasn't even sure what she was looking for. Draco frowned at the less-than-impressive collection.

"This is all you have?"

"Well, I don't spend summers in the Wizarding world, so…"

"Well, you will now, won't you? You should just go buy some things- you'll need proper robes eventually, anyways."

"Buy? Just go buy some? Like everyone just has money laying around?" She snapped. She flung a few more uniforms out of the trunk in agitation and stood up. "I don't have much in the way of wizard money! Or muggle money! I don't have a job! I tapped out most of what I had over the winter, on the mission!"

She angrily strode towards her closet, filled with muggle things. "And now, I have nothing to wear! I have to go to see my dead friends, and I don't even have a goddamn thing to wear!" She threw a few muggle sweaters and dresses about in her fury. But the clothes in the closet had become blurry. Tears, again? Crap…

"What do witches wear to funerals? Would these robes work if I wore this sweater underneath?" She asked, holding up several items pathetically with fresh tears falling.

Draco stood back up slowly. He had a brooding expression, caught between worry and confusion for the leaking female in front of him. He finally just walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her, trapping the clothing she had been holding between them.

He had hoped this would help, but it only increased her crying. She wrapped her arms around his waist and let the clothing fall, her body wracked with sobs. He stroked her hair, her face buried in his chest.

"Er…look, we'll go shopping, ok? Don't cry…I'm sorry…"

She just shook her head and kept crying. What was _he_ apologizing for?

"I know…We all lost people we cared about…I'm sorry…"

Hermione hadn't even thought about who Draco might have lost. He was classmates with many of the dead too, though. Granted, the number of fighting Slytherins had been thin, but one of the cronies he had always hung around had died. For the wrong cause, yes, but he was still just as dead.

She was beginning to be ashamed of the number of times Draco had seen her break down in the past 48 hours or so…

She straightened herself up and wiped away her tears. She was surprised when Draco's thumb brushed across her face, helping her clear away the wetness. She looked up at him, and he looked so sad and puzzled at the same time.

"It's not fair…you won, but you're so full of love and sympathy that you can't help but break down for the loss of others…"

"Do you think it's pathetic, me falling apart all the time?" She sniffed.

"Actually, I think your amazing…" he kissed her softly. "Your so gentle, and kind, and such a good person." He kissed her again. "I certainly don't deserve you…"

She felt embarrassed at the praise. Draco didn't usually compliment her like that…he was flattering her. He was acting so sweet…He must be _really_ worried…

"I'm…I'm fine. Really. Thank you." She said the last part with real feeling, clinging to him once again.

"It's ok…I just really hate to see you crying. I'm at a complete loss as to what to do."

She laughed. "You don't know how to handle a woman crying, huh?"

"Well, there's only one way I've been taught."

She was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

He laughed. "I mean let's go buy you expensive things."


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Hermione would have been offended at Draco's comment if he hadn't meant it to be funny. In any case, she did need clothes, and as it turned out, he was quite serious about buying them for her.

The two apparated to Diagon alley, just short of Gringotts.

"Ok, let's go fill our pockets with gold and get you a proper outfit or two." Draco said, marching off to the bank.

Hermione looked around her, nervous. She had insisted that Draco dress in his muggle clothes; sunglasses and all. He had protested, but being safe was probably worth more than not looking silly. He looked dreadfully out of place, and was probably extremely embarrassed, but at least it wasn't so likely anyone would recognize him. Draco Malfoy in muggle jeans? Not likely!

Still, she was worried. She felt eyes on her from all around, and knew she had been recognized easily enough. She had vaguely remembered seeing her picture in the prophet along with Harry's. Damn. Was she going to draw unneeded attention to the two of them? Maybe she should have cast some spells on Draco to hide him better…maybe changed his hair color…

But then, they wouldn't have been able to get to his vault as easily.

Draco strode up to the goblin at his table and produced an ornate key. The goblin simply nodded and led them back to the transportation cart.

Hermione was very nervous about this, as well. She had just broke into this place not long ago, afterall. But she had been in disguise….hopefully no one had gotten a good look at her…

She just tried her best to stay behind Draco and look small and innocent.

When the three reached the Malfoy vault, Hermione had to stare. Inside there was as much loot as Bellatrix's vault- maybe even more. Not that she was the type to be impressed with money…but _damn_!

The goblin had waited outside patiently, after being assured by Draco that Hermione's presence was ok. Draco looked back at her and laughed, and she remembered to close her mouth.

"What is so funny?"

"Nothing. Sorry. Your just cute, looking like that." He sighed. "All this crap doesn't mean much if the lot of my family ends up in prison, does it?" He kicked a jeweled cup softly, and it "plunked" into a pile of galleons.

He began to look around, taking inventory and grabbing a few things here and there. True to his word, he stuffed his pockets full of Galleons. Being that he was wearing jeans, he found this to be less than effective. He grabbed Hermione by her robes and pulled her closer, a wicked grin on his face. He kissed her deeply as they stood there in the vault, his hands trapping her face.

"Can I borrow your pockets?" he asked. A very strange sentence if taken out of context, but she just smiled and nodded. He proceeded to stuff gold into the pockets of her robes, until she felt the weight pulling down the cloth at strange angles.

As it was his own pockets looked strange stuffed with gold and small trinkets of this and that.

"What all did you grab?" Hermione asked, curious about all the lumps.

Draco just shook his head, grinning. "Feel free to look around and be awed at the greatness of the Malfoys." He joked. Well, half joked.

She did look around, and actually was quite awed. Some of the antiques were just itching to be looked at closer, to be studied…

But it would be rude to go riffling through someone else's vault. She shook her head and headed for the door. Draco shrugged and followed.

***

The two entered the robe shop just around 8am. Two hours left until Hermione was needed. No time to be fitted.

She flipped through the racks of ready-made clothes, trying hard not to think about _why_ she needed the appropriate robes…

Draco saw her looking blankly at the garments and sighed. He grabbed one, looked at her, looked at it, and nodded. "Here, this one would be appropriate."

It was an incredibly bright white. Hermione looked skeptical. "It's pretty…but white?"

Draco stared at her. "What else would you wear to a funeral?"

"Er…never mind….thank you." She said in a small voice.

Draco reached over and pulled down several other robes. The witch in charge looked over, watching the strange muggle-dressed man pulling down witch's garments. What did she think they'd do, bolt with them?

That's when Hermione noticed the price on one of the dress robes Draco shoved her way.

"No way! I don't need something this expensive! Let's go look somewhere else."

Draco was wearing the sunglasses, but she imagined him rolling his eyes. "Just hold these and shut up."

He grabbed a few more, and some jewelry that matched. Actually, he was doing all this rather fast, so Hermione was impressed with the things he threw at her. He had good taste.

The dressmaker could hardly believe her eyes when Draco pulled all the gold from his pockets and handed it over. She had eyed them suspiciously up until the point that the cash was out.

The two exited, carrying bags and bags of loot. Hermione felt slightly ill thinking about all the money that had just been tossed away.

"You didn't have to spend so much on me…how am I supposed to pay so much back?"

Draco stopped walking and looked at her over the lenses of his sunglasses. He was getting good at using those things to the best advantage. "Look, these were just gifts, ok? Don't embarrass me by talking about paying me back. It's not like I can't spare the gold. Money is _not_ one of my many problems."

He could say that, but Hermione still felt bad about it…

But there was no time left for pressing her point. She selected the bag with the white robes in it and hurried into a bathroom at a small café to change, leaving Draco with the bags.

When she emerged, Draco nodded. "It looks ok, then? Ok. I…I'll meet you back at the house in a few hours…Please go back right away; I'd hate it if something happened to you while I was gone."

"Where am I going to go with all this junk? Of course I'll go back to your house." He brushed his hand slightly on one of her arms in a comforting gesture. "Just…I'll be there for you when you get back, ok? Unless you want me to go with you…"

She stopped herself from screaming 'NO!' just in time, and just shook her head. He didn't want to go, and no one there would want him to go. Just she wanted him to be with her. She couldn't be that selfish.

Draco nodded as she apparated away, heading towards the cemetery just a mile away from the burrow…


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

It was awful. The whole thing. Hermione couldn't handle…well, everything.

She met up with Ginny first thing, and stayed with Ginny. From one wake, to the funeral, to the next wake, to the next funeral…

That meant, of course, that she also stayed with Harry and Ron. Poor Ron. Poor Ginny.

She tried her best to comfort them, but that would be an impossible task. You can't take away someone's pain with words, no matter how much you wish you could.

It didn't help that she felt an invisible tension between her and Harry the whole time. She tried to ignore it. This wasn't about Harry, or her, or Draco. This was about the people who died and their families.

But it was hard to completely ignore Harry's glares whenever she hugged Ron, or patted his shoulder. It was all polite; she never felt she had led him on in the first place. She wasn't trying to hurt him! All this she tried to say with her eyes to Harry, but he was obviously not ready to forgive her anything, yet.

But it was finally over. She said her goodbye's to the Weasleys and made her way outside the crowd to where she could disapperate.

But Harry followed her outside the building. She knew he was there, but she really didn't want to talk to him. Finally he caught up to her and grabbed her elbow.

"What is you problem?" He asked her, turning her around.

"Me? What's _your_ problem?" She fought the urge to yank her arm away from him; he was her friend. She wanted to be friends again, even if he was acting like a jerk.

He looked sad for a moment, then dropped her arm. "Look…just….Ginny told me to talk with you later. I'll be by in a couple of hours, after I get her home, ok?"

Hermione's face softened. She nodded.

"Ok…see you then." He said, and turned away.

She disapperated back to her living room, happy that he was at least willing to talk.

***

Draco heard her appear again with a loud "pop!" He left the kitchen, where he had been (unsuccessfully) trying to figure out instant ramen.

"God, I feel like a housewife. It's so _boring_ here alone!" He said, trying to make a very uneasy-looking Hermione smile.

She did. "Harry's coming later. He's actually speaking to me. I'm taking that as a good sign." She sat down heavily on the couch, her smile disappearing quickly in her memories. "It was all so horrible…seeing them lying there like that…I don't ever want to go to another funeral in my life."

She was upset, but she couldn't cry anymore. She felt numb, having cried all the tears she had in her. She was happy that she had the distraction of Harry's visit to look forward to. Well, actually, she was dreading it, since it would probably involve yelling…but it was better than thinking about her dead friends.

Draco sighed, sitting next to her and looking frustrated. "Great. Potter. Are you sure I can't just, like, buy you a new friend so we can ignore him?"

Hermione didn't appreciate the joke, and elbowed him in the ribs. "If Harry's upset, it's because he thinks I'm hurting Ron. But he's my friend too. He's going to have to get over this."

"No dice. It's not just about Freckles; he hates me. He hates that I'm doing you. He hates that you would let me. The end."

She groaned at Draco's blunt assessment. She didn't think she could cope with both of them in the room together at the same time. Maybe she could make Draco leave for awhile? But that wouldn't work; Ginny wanted the two to call a truce…right, that'd be the day.

***

A couple hours later two loud "pops" could be heard from the kitchen, and Hermione felt her nerves go out the window. She shouldn't be so scared to talk to a good friend, should she? Harry was acting childish…but then why did _she_ still feel like the bad guy in all this?

"In here!" Hermione called, taking a step towards the kitchen. Draco stayed seated, frowning.

Ginny flew through the door, and sent a nod to Hermione.

"Ginny! I…uh, I thought you'd be at home…"

She shook her head sadly, and met Hermione's eyes with a small smile. "I think you need me here to mediate some things."

"Er…like what?"

Ginny walked right up to Draco just as Harry entered the room, looking more than a little grumpy. She held out her hand expectantly. Draco looked at it, then back up to her face. He looked disgusted.

"What the hell do you expect me to do?"

She rolled her eyes. "Your wand, of course."

"Like hell!"

She glared, and pulled Harry's wand from her back pocket. "Harry had to give up his; now give it."

Hermione stood beside Ginny. "Draco, just give up the wand for now. I promise I'll make sure you get it back."

He was looking like he had just swallowed a bug, but he handed over his wand anyways. He looked up at Hermione with a bite of anger in his eyes.

She felt hurt at that, but didn't say anything. Making someone part with their wand wasn't a particularly kind act; he was entitled to be pissed. Harry was also glaring at Ginny.

"See?" She said, turning to Hermione. "Let's direct their anger at us as much as possible- maybe they'll wear themselves out." She winked and headed for the kitchen, the boy's wands held high in the air. "Come on, they can't kill each other now. At least, not easily, they can't." Hermione looked at her, disbelieving, and slowly followed. She avoided the stares of both of the boys.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Draco wanted to run out of the room after them. This was very far outside his idea of a fun evening.

What the hell was he supposed to do again? Call a truce? Explain that he wasn't using Hermione? Ugh…why should Potter have to understand that? Who died and made him king of the world…oh, right.

Draco cleared his throat. Harry glared at him, still not sitting down. Neither of them moved for a while, and Draco sighed.

"Look, I hate you…"

"Nice start to this conversation. I hate you too." Harry nodded. It was almost comical how calmly they both said that. It didn't bode well for the rest of the conversation.

"…but, I'm not being given a choice here. Look, you can't stay mad at Hermione, because for some reason it makes her upset…"

"I'm not mad at Hermione." Harry growled, clenching his fists. "I'm disappointed that she would be stupid enough to fall for your crap, yes, but I'm only _angry_ with you."

Draco felt his face flush with anger. "What are you _talking_ about? Just what are you implying? That I'm tricking her? Oh, right, cause she's really that stupid. She's a big girl; she can take care of herself and make her own decisions. She trusts me, so who the fuck are you to say I'm lying to her?"

"I'm her friend, and for some reason she seems to have forgotten just what you are!" he yelled back. He took a deep breath, and lowered his voice. "I had three thoughts when we found Hermione trapped by you. One: That you had forced yourself on her. If she had even implied that that was the case, we would have wiped the floor with you. But she seemed fine, even after you said something to her that made her kiss you. I thought maybe she was too embarrassed to admit it, but that wasn't it, either…" He sat down in a chair next to the couch, and Draco took his own seat again. He was feeling outraged at this attack on his character, but was counting backwards from 10…

"My second thought, of course, was that you had lied to her to sleep with her. Maybe to piss me off, maybe just because you were bored; I don't know."

Draco was having trouble counting. Screw it. "How full of yourself can you be?! I can't-"

Harry cut him off. "You're one to talk. Anyways, it brings me back to my third thought and conclusion." He narrowed his eyes. "You're a sneaky bastard. You had it all figured out. If your side won, great. But just in case you lost…"

"Great. Your saying that I somehow manipulated Hermione so she'd help me out if the Dark Lord kicked the bucket."

Harry just glared at him.

"I didn't plan this!"

"You were certainly quick to hide behind her skirt the minute death eaters were being rounded up."

Draco was pissed, but he just couldn't find the words to refute that.

"So, having her on your side gives you access to me and my testimony for your trial…"

"Oh, right, it always leads back to you, doesn't it?" He sneered. "I'll have you know that I would _never _ask for your help. That was her. It was a favor _she_ was asking of _you_."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Like I said, for some reason she seems attached to you. She doesn't see that you're using her…"

"I am NOT using her, ok? Just like my trial, I have no evidence for this, either, but it's true! I can't explain to you how appalled I am that I have to explain this to _you_, of all people!"

Harry laughed. "Very nice, Malfoy. You're not convincing me to believe your scheme; it's impossible. Drop it." He leaned in closer to Draco. "And leave her alone. If you hurt her, I know many people who can help make your life hell…"

"I'm going to Azkaban, aren't I? What's more like hell?"

Harry stared.

"Yeah, forgot about that, right? Why would I be with Hermione if her testimony isn't enough evidence to keep me out of prison? If you don't testify, then my "scheme" falls apart. So, all-knowing one, tell me why I'm still here?"

"Here, now? Trying to convince me to testify for you, of course! Do you think I'm an idiot? Circular logic!"

Both boys were on the edge of their seats, moments from jumping up and having at it.

Draco took a deep breath. If he didn't do this…would Hermione just give up on him?

"Who would she choose…" he wondered aloud.

"What?"

Draco shook his head. He hadn't meant to say it out loud. "Just wondering if Hermione would give up on me if it meant losing her friends. My bet is that she would feel bad about it, but that she would. She would also never fully forgive either of us for making her choose."

Harry glared. Then sighed. Then glared again. "I think she'd figure out your game and get over you."

"Don't you get it? Even if you don't believe me about my intentions in all this, you should at least know that she's….she's in love with me, ok?" He stood up and walked towards the window, peering around the curtains. He was not about to look at Harry as he said what comes next. "I'm…er…inlovewithhertoo." He said the last as fast as possible.

Neither of them said anything for a while. Harry stood up suddenly, and walked to the kitchen.

***

Ginny and Hermione had heard the louder bits and pieces, of course, but had been trying hard to ignore the living room as much as possible. Hermione felt so embarrassed she wanted to crawl under the table. Harry and Draco alone? Draco explaining the situation to Harry? This was just a very, very bad idea…Ginny was over-estimating their maturity.

Harry burst into the room very suddenly and held his hand out to Ginny.

Ginny looked casually from the outstretched hand to his face. "I'm sorry; you expect me to give back your wand _now_?"

Harry glared.

Draco glided into the room, trying his best to look cool and aloft. Not at all agitated, right? Look who's the calm one, right?

Inside, he wanted nothing better than to curse Harry into next week.

Ginny sighed. "I'll give you back your wands, but Harry…" She gazed up at him. "I swear I won't…" she broke off, looking at Hermione and Draco. She stood up and whispered something in Harry's ear. "…for a loooong time, if you go all childish on me."

Harry blushed violently and coughed. "On second thought, I don't need my wand back. I'd end up _using_ it if I had it."

"Yeah, again, gross. Whatever, I said my piece. I don't know what else you want me to do." Draco slumped into the chair next to Hermione's. She gave him a worried look.

Harry sat next to Ginny, keeping as much distanced as possible between himself and Draco. To make a point, Draco backed his own chair away from the table, adding to the distance.

Ginny sighed. "Well…this was a bust…"

"Just what did you hope to accomplish?" Harry asked angrily.

She calmly looked at him. "I was hoping you could get over your dislike of Draco enough to see that he doesn't deserve Azkaban, as you know well enough. Just because he's with Hermione doesn't make him any more guilty of the crimes he's being accused of. And, I was hoping you see that this trial business is _hurting_ Hermione."

Hermione sloshed her coffee onto her dress. She used her wand to clean it up, fumbling.

Harry looked at Hermione, thinking. His head dropped. "I'm sorry, Hermione. None of this is your fault, afterall…"

"But…this isn't Draco's fault, either." She answered.

Harry glared at Draco, then tried to hold in his anger and turn gentle eyes back to Hermione. "I don't agree. Hermione, use your brain. You're so smart; how is it that you can't see what he's doing?"

"Love is blind." Said Ginny with a grin, sipping her coffee.

"Your not helping." Hermione said to Ginny, then turned to Harry. "He's not doing anything wrong. Without him, I'd be dead. But more than that…I like being with him. I like talking with him, and I like that he always seems to do just the right thing when I'm upset. He has helped me get through the past two days just by being here…" Her voice held a world of sadness. It had been hard.

"I guess I haven't been much help." Harry said, somewhat sheepishly. "But _him_? Good god, Hermione! He's…_Malfoy_." Harry looked like he would be sick. "But…he was forced to do the things he's accused of…but not imperiused. I don't know what he deserves, but I can't just let them throw away his case…"

Ginny piped up. "But, you'd rather him get off free than go to Azkaban for a crime he's not responsible for. Look at him; how long do you think he'd last among the dementors?"

Harry sighed. "I…I'll help. But I have a condition."

Draco groaned. That sounded familiar. Did he really have to work this hard to get the help of his enemy? Ugh…

Harry continued. "I want you to stop this game, Malfoy."

"Game? There is no game, like I've been saying again and again!"

"Fine! Then prove it!"

"How the hell do I prove it?"

Harry's eyes narrowed. "You know very well."

Hermione gasped. "Veratiserum? But why? I don't get it. _You're_ the one who had the visions. With your testimony, we won't need to resort to Veratiserum…no one should be forced to do that in front of a court…"

"I don't mean in front of a court. And I don't mean to find out the truth about his crimes during the war." Harry looked at Draco. "I want to know what he thinks he's doing with you. If he's telling the truth and nothings up, then I'll help. Actually, I'll help with the trial either way, but if he is using you…I'll be sure to take care of that on my own."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"Outrageous!" Hermione exclaimed after their "guests" had left. "He thinks you're using me? So he wants to resort to _Veratiserum_?! I can decide for myself who to trust!"

Draco sighed. "Well, it does mean he'll help with the trial, either way…"

Hermione sat with her arms crossed, feeling huffy. "Yeah. Cause he couldn't just do that anyways because I asked him to. He can't trust me to decide; it all has to go through him."

Draco grinned. "Hey, your starting to sound like me on the subject of Potter."

"Don't you start! He's still my friend; he's acting like this to try and protect me. Of course, it's horribly chauvinistic to think I need this kind of protection/interference in my _love life_, for gods sake! Argh!"

"I'm willing to do it, though, if it's the only way…"

"The only way to keep you out of Azkaban short of hightailing it? Yeah…it might be."

Draco was silent for a minute, sitting in the kitchen chair. In a low voice he said, "That's true…but I was going to say it's the only way I get to keep you…"

Hermione stared at him, and moved to sit in the chair beside him. She pulled it closer as she sat. "What do you mean?" She felt like he was saying something romantic, but that she wasn't quite grasping it.

His face flushed a bit, and he looked towards the fridge as he said, "I mean that if I don't do this, Potter won't believe me, and we'll both end up making it hell on you. Ok? I said it: I understand that he's your friend and that you can't just choose to exclude either one of us. Blah." His face turned a darker pink. "I mean that it's important to me that your happy…I don't want you to leave me alone…"

"So…you'll take Veratiserum, just so that I can be _happy_?"

Draco stood up and made for the living room. But Hermione wasn't about to let it go. She followed him, so he was forced to answer. "Yes, ok, geez…it's not a big deal…"

Not a big deal? He hadn't even been focusing on getting out of his imprisonment, but on her happiness? Involving the guy he hated most? He cared about her that much? It made Hermione really, really happy, so she found it to be a big deal. She smiled and Draco looked frustrated.

"Oh, come on…just forget it, ok? I don't like the sweet mushy crap…"

"But your saying you love me enough to put yourself at the mercy of your school-aged enemy." She was grinning now, and couldn't help hug him. "I'm not embarrassed to say it anymore, because I heard you say it to me. I love you."

Draco sighed, giving up. "Ok, yes, I'm the nicest guy in the whole wide world. Ugh."

She glanced up at him, waiting.

He groaned, but couldn't help the smile curving at the edge of his lips. "Fine, I love you too."

***

A couple hours later the two of them were seated on the living room couch, watching a movie Hermione put in. Harry and Ginny would be back tomorrow…

Hermione wasn't sure what to make of the situation. No way should Draco have to go through spilling his secrets to the mercy of someone he hates. But on the other hand Hermione was sure Harry wouldn't abuse the situation or anything…he wanted to know that Draco wasn't lying to her. He wanted to save her if he was.

But Hermione knew Draco wasn't using her. What would Harry do when he found out? Hopefully he would feel horrible about resorting to _Veratiserum_! Oh, yeah. Hermione was going to have _words_ with him when this whole trial business was over.

But at least Harry was still her friend. Maybe everything would be ok, afterall. Just maybe, she could have her friends and Draco.

"Ok, I can understand the little fish talking, but why doesn't the shark eat him?" Draco asked, staring at the screen.

"Because the shark is nice."

"….so, what does the shark eat?"

"Hmm…they don't tell you, do they?"

Hermione had decided on a favorite Disney cartoon to entertain them for awhile. They didn't want to think about what was coming tomorrow. Secretly, Hermione was sure Draco was dreading that more than the trial. But he'd put up with it, just so Hermione wouldn't have to stress about him and Harry being at each other's throats.

Throughout the movie Draco continued asking questions. Just like when she was a kid, watching TV with her parents. She finally had to just tell him that it didn't have to make sense, and that a wizard questioning how impossible things happened was absurd.

When the movie was over, Hermione stood up and stretched.

"What do you want for dinner?" She asked.

Draco pretended to think hard about it, then said, "How about if we have some of those poppy-tarts?"

Hermione laughed. Draco frowned. "What?"

"Oh, it's just…they're normally for…" she smiled. "Nevermind, they sound delicious, actually."

Hermione skipped into the kitchen as Draco followed her.

She reached up in the cupboards, pressing herself against the counter, for the various flavors they had picked up yesterday. She yipped as she felt large hands grab her sides and lift her up the extra few inches so she was sitting on the counter. She was turned around now, meeting Draco level.

"Forget food, for now. I have something else in mind."

Hermione blinked, then smiled. "You have that something on your mind a lot, don't you?"

He grinned. "Well, when I'm around you and your curvy self…"

She rolled her eyes.

Draco pressed into her and kissed her. Whatever she was going to say deflated and she

sighed happily, putting her arms around Draco's neck. She wriggled closer. Now, the intention was to push against him, but when she tried to move up against the edge of the counter she slipped sideways into the sink, which was conveniently located right next to her.

This in itself would not have been too unfortunate. But, when falling, her hand had shot out to try and steady her.

Her hand had hit the faucet handle, splashing water all along the back of her.

She let out a squeal and jumped out of the sink and off the counter as quickly as possible.

She was making some awkward flapping movements with her arms as she cried out.

"Ah! Water, all OVER!"

Draco was bent over facing the opposite direction from Hermione. He was shaking.

"You had SO better not be laughing."

That was it. He couldn't hold it in anymore. He burst out into violent laughter.

Hermione glared. "Oh, yeah? Real funny."

She reached over to the sink and pulled out the extended faucet attachment.

Draco straightened up. He had an unsure smile on his face and a few small laughs escaped as he asked, "Wh…what is that thing?"

She grinned as she sprayed him full in the face with a stream of cold water.

"Ah!" He cried, backing up out of her reach as quickly as possible.

She started to copy his earlier laugh, and mercilessly followed him as far as the cord could go.

"Stop!" He was caught between outrage and amusement as Hermione turned off the sprayer.

She was cracking up herself. "The…the look on your face!" She managed.

Draco was standing with his hands held out, not even sure what to do with himself. Water was dripping from his hair. He reached around behind him for his wand.

Hermione's laughter died. "Hey, now. It wasn't that bad…"

But Draco was already casting "Aquamenti," and the great "Kitchen Water War" continued.

***

Author's comments:  
Thank you everyone for the reviews! To answer some questions…

1. Yes, I had most of what I've been posting written during my trip to Croatia. I'm currently writing what I post now, though.

2. Thank you for the constructive criticism, too. There were a couple of chapters I posted before I spell-checked. (Totally spazzed on that, sorry!)

3. I'm working my way to the ending now. I estimate about 6 chapters or so left. Then again, I was going to end this like 20 chapters ago, so you never know! :heart:

Thank you all!


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

It wasn't long before a truce had to be called. Hermione was soaked through and Draco was suffering from "ice-down-the-back" related trauma.

"Ok, this is very much NOT what I had in mind for this evening…"

Hermione threw a towel Draco's way as she buried her face in a pink fluffy one. She laughed. "Are you saying I'm not getting any now?" She froze and blushed. "Ah! You're rubbing off on me!"

He grinned.

"Don't say it. I _meant_ I'm starting to sound as dirty-minded as you." She walked over from the linen closet to the tiny bathroom. She sighed. It was so _small_, especially in comparison with Draco's… "Look, feel free to take a shower…it's nothing great, but it's better than sitting here covered in cold wet clothes."

"Are you offering to take one together?" He asked mischievously.

"I most certainly am not. I'll go after you."

He frowned. "You only have one bath?"

The look on her face shut him up. He walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

Hermione sighed and dried her hair the best she could. Great. Now it was a frazzled mess.

She walked back to the kitchen and threw some poptarts into the toaster. It was now pretty late…tomorrow was going to be hard. How could she convince Harry that Draco was good without going to the extremes of Veratiserum? It was such an invasion of privacy, to use something like that!

But afterwards, Harry would help with the trial…Draco would be free to stay with her, if he chose to. He wouldn't have to run…

The idea of running away together might sound so romantic, but in reality Hermione knew a thing or two about hiding out…camping in the woods, trying not to be seen, never having enough to eat…everyone at each other's throats…

No, it wasn't a pleasant thought. And could she really have broken the _law_ like that? She just wasn't that kind of girl, to break all the rules…

But in the end, if Harry wouldn't help Draco, then it still would have been better than him being all by himself hiding away where she could never see him again. She probably would have done it, whatever the logical side of her brain was saying.

For gods sake, she had just had a water fight in her kitchen with him! Yeah, there's a real villain for you, right?

Why did he have to put up such a front when interacting with other people? If he could just play _nice _then they wouldn't even have had any problem…sigh.

She heard the door to the bathroom open and headed down the hall. Draco stood there wearing one of her green towels around his waist. Figures.

"Where are my robes?" He asked. "I've worn those damn muggle clothes too long."

"Oh! Sorry, I threw them in the wash earlier. Let me go see if they're dry." She turned to walk away when she felt his grip on her wrist.

"Hey, if they're drying then there's no rush." He said with a deep edge to his voice.

Hermione turned around to look at him, a blush on her face.

He was still slightly wet and warm from the shower. Water dripped from his out-of-place hair and down his chest. Hermione had an overpowering urge to lick it off him.

She shook her head. Bad!

"Well…I, er, better take a shower then, too…my hair is a mess…" She moved to walk around him and tried to loosen his grip on her. It was useless. As she walked by he pushed her against the wall, his other arm moving to trap her. His towel was dangerously loose around his waist, and Hermione felt slightly dizzy.

"I don't mind your hair messy." Draco said, and cut off her reply with a kiss. His moved his tongue gently over her bottom lip. She felt her breath catch in her throat.

He moved to kiss her neck. He smelled so clean and his body was so warm…ugh, she felt so gross! She was cold-wet, messy, and was actually overdue for a nice warm shower.

She brought up a hand to his shoulder and gently moved him back.

"Actually, I kinda mean it…I need to shower. I feel gross."

He laughed. "Fine. But I'm cold out here and I don't have anything to wear." He said in a fake "poor me" tone. "I'm coming in too."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you now?"

He pushed her back into the wall. With a growl he said, "Yep."

She felt things below tighten and couldn't bring herself to argue anymore. "Oh. Ok."

***

Hermione walked into the bathroom and turned on the water. When she had it at an acceptable temperature she pulled the tab for the shower to come on. That was as far as she could go before she felt stuck.

Now what?

Draco had walked in behind her and shut the door. He had a wicked look on his face. Hermione just had a dark red look on hers.

"Well, are you just going to shower in your clothes or what?" He asked, grinning and leaning against the sink.

Gah! She couldn't just take off her clothes with him watching her! Ok, so maybe it was totally hypocritical. Afterall, they had been naked around each other twice now. But he was just watching with those sexy searching gray eyes…sigh…

Oh, come on! Wasn't she supposed to be brave? Why was she the only one who always seemed so uncomfortable? That's it! Hermione decided she was going to be the one to make him blush, for once.

Staring right back at his eyes, she quickly pulled off her top. His eyes grew wide. She stripped off the trousers, too. She usually was more comfortable in her muggle clothing, and she was glad for that now. It was so much quicker to get out of!

She grinned as she reached around behind her and unclasped her bra. Draco was leaning forward, the smirk wiped off his face. His towel could not hide how exciting he found her stripping.

But she didn't let the bra drop. She held it up and stepped behind the shower curtain. Draco started to move forward and Hermione called, "Not so fast! I'm taking a shower; like I said." 'You can just sweat it out a bit.' She added silently, trying not to laugh at Draco's groan.

From behind the curtain she threw her bra and panties.

"Oh, come on!" Draco said, a twinge of frustration to his voice.

She giggled. "Hey, you're the one who _had_ to be in here." She peeked around the curtain.

The water had flattened her hair. "You can wait a few minutes, can'tcha?"

He groaned again. He leaned forward and kissed her.

She pulled back and pushed the curtain back in place. Draco moved around the room, trying not to think about the naked woman behind the very thin curtain a foot away from him. He turned to the sink and splashed some cold water on his face and hair. He tried to push his hair back into place with limited success as he waited.


	33. Chapter 33

Rated M… Yay!

Chapter 33

Hermione's heart was beating in her chest. No, she wasn't going to chicken out! She was going to make Draco the one to squirm, for once! She was determined not to let her over-thinking get in the way…

She took a deep breath and turned off the water. The heat had made the whole room steamy, and the small window and mirror were fogged up.

She reached a hand out behind the curtain and groped around until she found what she was looking for: her towel. Wrapping it around herself, she pulled back the curtain, trying to seem calm and sexy. Not awkward and clumsy, like she felt. Nope.

Draco was still leaning on the sink, his arms folded in front of him. He had a slight pout on his face.

Hermione grinned. "Oh, don't be upset." She stepped over the tub. In the small room, this put them inches from each other. She moved up on her tippy-toes and gently touched her lips to his. She barely touched his skin as she moved her hands up to his face. Her nails dragged down softly, almost tickling, from his face to his neck to his chest.

She breathed against his lips. His breath sped up.

Her hands moved down, brushing the top of his towel. She moved her fingers under it slightly. Draco made an involuntary movement towards her, a small sound coming out of him. He moved his lips against hers harder, pushing against her. Hermione pushed him back against the sink gently and moved her tongue into his mouth, exploring. He groaned.

Her hands played with the rim of the towel. She moved her mouth from his lips to his jawline, moving up to his ear. She nipped gently on it.

Draco tried to move her so he could kiss her, too, but Hermione held him firm to the sink. She moved back and looked him in the eyes. "_I'm_ in charge of things this time."

He grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

She buried her face in his neck, kissing and licking her way down. Water was dripping from his hair to his chest, and this time she did lick it off. She looked up at him as she licked up one drop after another, and he shivered.

She moved down, finally reaching the top of the towel. She moved her tongue slowly over the last bit of skin showing…

The towel dropped off and Draco was left naked. Hermione blushed furiously. No, she wasn't going to wimp out! She was going to be the sexy, sure one! Right?

She hesitantly moved lower and kissed down until she reached…well, _him_, for a lack of a less tacky word. She gently kissed the tip of his erection. Draco took in a deep, sharp breath.

She wanted to look up at him, but just couldn't bring herself to do it.

She slowly moved her tongue out, licking up along him. She gabbed him in one hand as she moved her mouth over part of the length of him.

He made a loud sound in between a sigh and a groan as she moved over him, her tongue caressing.

"Hermione…"

She moved up and down as far as she could. She couldn't take in most of it, so she stroked him with her hand. The sounds he was making encouraged her. She felt amazing, having the power to make him make those noises.

Her own towel slipped off, and she was left naked, kneeling in front of Draco. He couldn't take anymore; he grabbed her shoulders and moved down with her, pushing her to the ground. He kissed her roughly, frantically.

He positioned himself above her and pushed into her quickly, thrusting. Hermione gasped.

"Shit, Hermione…Your so damn…"

And that's as far as he got as they heard a loud "pop" come from, presumably, the kitchen.

Again.

Shit.

"No WAY." Draco said.

Hermione pushed at him. "We have to go see who it is."

Draco looked like he was going to argue, but seeing the pleading look on Hermione's face he moved off her.

"Damn it. It's like fuckin' midnight! Who the hell…"

"I'm sorry…" Hermione said, giving him a rushed kiss and throwing on clothing as fast as was physically possible.

He groaned and slowly stood up. He was NOT in a good mood.

Hermione was equally pissed, but was much more focused on not looking like she had just had sex with Draco on her bathroom floor. She opened and shut the door behind her and walked swiftly down the hall, brushing her hands through her wet hair.

She was halfway down the dim hallway when she saw a figure walking towards her.

"Hermione?" He asked.

She flipped on the light. Standing in her hallway was a very confused-looking Ron.

"Ron!" She was caught between being ashamed that he had shown up at the most inopportune moment and anger that he had shown up so late at night.

"What in the hell are you doing here at this hour?" Then something occurred to her. "Harry didn't…he didn't mention anything strange to you, did he? Or Ginny?"

"Why?" He asked, moving closer. "Is there something they know that I don't?" He sounded kinda pissed. Hmm. He defiantly knew _something_. But what?

Hermione knew that the grown-up thing to do would be to just tell Ron what was going on. To explain that she was representing Draco in court and that the two of them were a couple. But how could she come out and say that? To _him_? The last time she had seen him was at his brother's funeral that morning, for gods sake!

"Hermione….Harry and Ginny have been acting strange for a couple days now. Harry seems pissed about something, and mentioned he'd be visiting you tomorrow. When I asked what was going on…well…he said you might be in some trouble…"

She sighed. Crap.

"…something about Draco Malfoy. Hermione…" He came up to her, grabbing her shoulders. "Why are you helping him? Is he threatening you? Blackmail? What? Are you ok? Why hasn't anyone told _me_ about this?"

The insinuation was clear: Why had she told Harry and Ginny and left him out of it? He sounded so sad…

Hermione didn't know what to say. If his feelings were hurt about being left out of the loop…wow, he was not going to like the rest of the story…

***

So what do you all think of my sex scenes? Just wondering- are they any good? I get embarrassed writing them (Yes, I'll admit it!), and I just don't know if they totally suck (haha, pun after this last chapter) or what?

Thanks everyone for all the reviews! They keep me going as fast as possible!


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Hermione grabbed Ron by the elbow and tried to lead him to the kitchen, back out of the hallway. He refused to budge, however, and asked again, "Why didn't you tell me something was going on? What _is_ going on?"

Hermione sighed. "Ron…look, Draco doesn't deserve to go to jail. Isn't that enough of a reason to help?"

Ron's mouth fell open. "Doesn't deserve…what?! He was a death eater! He held you prisoner…"

"…after saving my life!"

"He…well…Harry seemed to think he was up to something, that you shouldn't be helping him. What is it that's making you help him?"

Oh, crap. Was she really going to have to say it? With Ron all riled up like this? After all the stress his family's been through in the past couple of days?

"Look, he's not forcing me to help him…I _want_ to help him…"

Ron looked incredulous. "He hasn't threatened you or hurt you or anything? You're just helping because…" He sighed, "Because you're a really good person who would help someone in need even if they are a little prat…"

The tone of his voice softened Hermione's heart. He really did care about her; it's the reason he rushed over when he thought she was in trouble. He thought of her as such a good person all the time…And she was going to have to break his heart. She felt like such a….well, a bitch.

Her voice held pain when she said, "Ron…"

And that's when the bathroom door opened. Draco Malfoy strode quickly and angrily into the hallway, wearing his rumpled, dirty muggle clothing again.

"What in the _hell_ is going on now?" He asked.

Great. Hermione felt guilty, Ron was upset, and Draco was pissed. This was not a good mixture.

"What? What are you doing here?" Ron asked, his voice starting to rise a bit near the end.

"Huh? I'm supposed to be here, you twit!" Draco yelled. He caught a look from Hermione and deflated. "Oh…er…not helping, am I?"

Hermione stared at him meaningfully and shook her head.

"Why the hell are you supposed to…are you staying here? Wait…did you just come out of the bathroom?" He pointed at Draco. He turned and pointed at Hermione. "Didn't you, too?" The anger left his voice and was replaced by utter confusion.

Hermione felt herself blushing and covered her face with her hands. No, freaking out would not help with this situation.

"Ron, look…" She started as calmly as she could. "Harry figured it all out on his own- we weren't keeping anything secret from you deliberately."

"Secret? What? The trial…or something else?" His voice got real quiet.

Hermione couldn't stand the sound of his voice, or the fact that he was staring at the floor, thinking. He was trying really hard not to come to the conclusion Harry had come to weeks ago.

"Yeah…something else…" She answered, looking down at the floor.

Ron stared at her. "What? Tell me Hermione- I'll just end up coming to the wrong conclusions like usual if you don't tell me…"

She took a deep breath. "Ron…Draco's been staying with me before the trial…and he's probably going to stay after, too…I want him here. But I want…no, I _need_ you to be my friend still. I need you, and Harry, and Ginny, and everyone…"

Ron blinked. He pointed at Draco. "_You_…what the hell did you do?" His voice was venomous.

Draco sighed. "See how it's always somehow my fault?" He seemed bored with the fact by this point.

Ron pulled out his wand. Hermione stepped carefully between the two boys. The hallway was tight enough that one body could pretty much block their line of sight.

"Move! He's imperioused you or something, right? Or maybe he's just playing some kind of mind game with you!"

"That's not it, Ron."

"Then what is it?….Wait….He _slept_ with you, didn't he? Making himself real comfortable until the trial, huh? Taking advantage of her! You bastard…"

Though her back was to him, Hermione was sure Draco had produced his own wand. "See? Always my fault."

"Draco didn't do anything wrong! How many times do I have to explain that to people?! _I'm_ the one you should be angry at! _I'm_ the one who's hurting you! _I'm_ the one you should be pointing that damn wand at! Don't transfer your anger to Draco, just because it's convenient to think he's to blame! I want to be with him, and I didn't tell you and that was _wrong_! I've kept secrets form you and Harry since Canada…"

"Since Canada…" Ron asked, his voice lower, his wand…not so much.

"Yes, Ron! Draco saved me and we're together. No trick, no spell, no blackmail- we just like each other, ok?" Her voice cracked and tears spilt as she continued. "We've been friends for seven years….me, you, and Harry. I love you two, you know. Just not in the way you want me too…"

The expressions on Ron's face went from shock, to sadness, and then to anger.

"How could you, Hermione! How could you be with… how could you kiss…uck! He's Draco Malfoy, dammit!"

"You'd be angry no matter who it was, Ron…"

"Yes, but at least I can be _justified_ in being angry since it's _him!_ Hermione, don't you remember all the nasty things he's done?! He was a death eater; if he was ordered too, he might have _tortured_ you! Or _killed_ you! In school he used to belittle you! All of us! Why would you want to sleep with…that?!"

Why did it always have to come down to the fact that they were sleeping together? What did Harry and Ron want? Should she just inform them that Draco was quite good in bed, thank you very much? No, that probably wouldn't go over well.

"Look, I'm still your friend, still Hermione. I just chose to be with Draco. We're a couple. That's it. Just like any other couple!"

"Who just happen to be on opposing sides on everything! Good and evil and all that, or don't you remember what went down three days ago!?"

Draco piped up, "Sorry, have to cut in. We agree on plenty of things, actually. Such as, for instance, I'm sure we're both thinking somewhat along the same lines about your little tantrum now."

Hermione might have laughed if she currently didn't have such a mix of anger and hurt inside. Tears were still coming down, and she couldn't make them stop. She didn't want Ron yelling at her like this!

She had kept a secret from him, and that was wrong, so what else did she expect? Maybe that they could still be friends? But if Harry couldn't even understand, what were the chances Ron would? She knew perfectly well how Ron felt about her, afterall…

Whatever was about to happen, which was likely to involve wands flying, was interrupted by two loud "pop's" from the kitchen.

Ron swirled around as if expecting an ambush as Harry and Ginny ran into view.

"Geez, there you are!" Harry said, then spied Hermione and Draco in the background. The looks on everyone's faces elicited a little "oh…" out of him.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Ron…what are you _doing _here?" Harry asked.

"I thought Hermione was in trouble, like you said." He answered gruffly. "Apparently she's doing _just fine_…"

"Ron, come on, I just didn't want your feelings hurt! But I didn't lie; I do think Hermione's in trouble."

"Cause he's just as daft as you are." Ginny added, scowling. She sighed and turned to Hermione. "Sorry, we saw Ron had left and followed him. We don't mean to just burst in on you like this…"

"And yet, it keeps happening…" Draco said, rolling his eyes. He was still pretty pissed.

Hermione turned pleading eyes to Ginny.

"I know, I know…sorry. We didn't want Ron to burst over like this. I'm guessing he found out more than he wanted to?"

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" He yelled.

"Sorry…Ron, really. You need to calm down. I just don't get why everyone has to freak out…" Ginny started, but was interrupted by Ron.

"Freak out? Why are you so damn calm!? It's Draco-fuckin-Malfoy, Ginny!"

Harry sighed. "I know. I just don't understand it, but Ginny seems to think we should all "just get along." I disagree- I think Draco's up to something."

"Oh, you think?" Ron said sarcastically.

"Come on, Ron. Put away the wand. We already have a plan set up to deal with Draco; let's all just go sit down and I'll explain it."

"Yeah? And why was I left out of this little "plan?"

Ginny sighed. Boy's were so difficult! She stepped forward and grabbed Ron's arm, pulling him back to the kitchen. She met Hermione's eyes. Hermione nodded. It was probably best if they sit down and explain the whole situation to Ron.

***

"What?!" Hermione asked. Could this night get any worse?

"Well…" Harry said, somewhat sheepishly. "I figured, since we're already here, and I have it with me…"

"Well, that's just damn convenient," Draco said in a voice barely above a whisper. "you just _happening_ to have Veratiserum in your back pocket."

Ron was sitting quietly with his arms folded, glaring Hermione's way. Harry had once said that he was angry with Draco, and just disappointed with Hermione's judgment. He wasn't angry with Hermione herself. Ron, however, seemed to lay the blame directly on her. He was pissed. He cared about her so much, yet she had ended up falling for the worse guy possible. It was too much for Ron to forgive, or so it seemed.

But Ron's reaction could wait until later, because after explaining the situation Harry had produced a little ornate bottle. Veratiserum.

There was no more stalling, no more pretending it wasn't going to happen…

Draco sighed. "Might as well get it over with, right?" He asked, looking directly at Hermione.

She was tortured with what was about to happen. Veratiserum was a key to one's innermost thoughts; it was invasive and wrong.

"Draco, you don't have to do it." She said, voice firm.

Harry blinked. "Hermione, I need to know if he's lying! I said either way I'll help the prat out at the trial…"

"You're thinking about finding out the truth, but your forgetting about the individual! Draco has rights! You're forcing him to do this- it's his only chance! But it violates basic human rights to force your way into someone's mind like this! You know it's wrong…"

"What other way is there? He's proven before that he can't be trusted! How the hell am I…" he looked Ron's way, "are _we_ supposed to trust him with our _best friend_, of all things?"

"Why can't you just…"

"Hermione." Draco interrupted.

"…just trust my judgment? Why do you…"

"Hermione."

"…always have to…"

"Hermione!" Draco yelled. She turned to stare at him. "Just forget it. Really. It's…it's not a huge deal. It's better than Azkaban…and if it'll let these losers know that I'm the _good guy_ and give them a bit of _guilt_, all the better."

There was silence for a moment, the Harry stood up. "Let's go to the living room then. This shouldn't take long."

"I'm coming too, of course!" Hermione glared, standing up as well.

"No, your not." Draco countered in a low voice, standing up next to her.

"W…what?"

"Come on- People on Veratiserum say stupid, embarrassing things. I don't want you, of all people, around!"

"But…I mean, you don't like Harry. I thought you would want someone to make sure he asked the right questions…"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You don't trust me?"

"I do, but I know _he_ doesn't."

Draco thought about it. "Ok…your right, I wouldn't like being alone with Potter questioning me…crap…" he looked up. "but are the weasels going to be present, too?"

Ron's face grew red and he looked like he was going to say something when Ginny grabbed his arm.

"We'll be waiting for you at the Burrow, Harry." And with that, she disapperated. With Ron. That's a bonus.

***

Draco stared at the little bottle in his hands. Ugh. It wasn't so bad, was it? The alternative was worse. This way he could stay out of Azkaban and keep Hermione. Get his cake and eat it too.

All he had to do was submit himself to this humiliation. Sigh. What choice did he have?

He sat down on the puffy chair and drank the bottle's contents (a few drops at most) as quickly as possible.

He choked a bit on it, coughing and drooping forward. Hermione moved towards him and touched his shoulder.

"Are you ok?"

He nodded and awkwardly pushed her away as he coughed down the horrible liquid.

He really wished she wasn't in the room. This was going to be an utterly embarrassing scene, he was sure. He was usually so good at checking his feelings, at being in control…


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

"Ok…let's test this…something you normally would lie about…" Harry seemed to think about it. He suddenly looked up. "In sixth year, what did I catch you doing in Moaning Myrtles bathroom?"

"Catch doing? Not sure I wanna hear this…" Hermione muttered. Harry couldn't help but snort at her comment.

Draco looked like he might have found it amusing if he wasn't so pissed at being forced to tell the truth. "I was crying." He hissed in between his teeth as he tried hard to keep his mouth shut. He turned to Hermione, and couldn't help but feel the corners of his mouth turn up. "You have a dirty mind, don't you?"

"Well, the question was phrased a little…damn it, your rubbing off on me again." She frowned. "You were crying?'

Draco ground his teeth. "Yes. Please don't ask me anything in the form of a question."

"Sorry. I'll shut up now."

Harry nodded. "Ok, now that we know it's working…" he pulled over a small chair and sat in front of Draco. "…Why did you save Hermione's life at the mansion?"

Draco's lips twitched. "Which time? I saved her from the cold because I didn't want to just let someone die when I could help it. I saved her from the sticky trap because she was helpless and I felt the need to protect her. I saved her from my aunt, despite the possible danger to myself, because I was falling for her. I liked her, and I wanted her."

Harry's eyebrows drew together. "Why did you run to Hermione after the final battle?"

Draco looked away and tried not to say what he had no choice but to say. "I…was afraid. I ran to her…so she could save me...hide me…" He took a deep breath. "But, if I was going to jail anyways, I wanted to at least see her again…" He looked down at his knees. His voice just kept coming, no matter how he tried to stop it. "I wanted to touch her again…to kiss her…to tell her I was sorry…"

Harry was silent for a moment. "So, at the cabin and the mansion…why did Hermione fall for you? Did you lie at all?"

Draco rolled his eyes at the ceiling and threw a furious look at Harry. He should have realized what the answer would entail. And Draco couldn't stop it. "We talked a lot, and I made her laugh. I was her second kiss, ever." He smiled a bit at that. "We had some sort of chemistry from the beginning. My opinion is that she was attracted to me at first because she shouldn't be…"

"Ridiculous…" Hermione said under her breath, not inclined to agree…at least not out loud.

"…I was also…" ugh. He _so_ didn't want to say this to Potter. And he could be pretty sure Potter didn't want to hear it. Hmm. Maybe that made it not so bad; to see Potter squirm. "It was her first time making love. And it was very, very good, I think." He grinned.

Harry blushed and rubbed his forehead with a hand, looking away. If he had to tell the truth, at the very least he could say it in a way that bothered Harry.

"Yep. If her screaming was any indication…"

"Ok, enough!" Harry said.

"Oh? But I'm just going through all the things that happened there that might have led to her falling for me. She said before she couldn't have sex with someone she didn't love…"

"I just wanted to know that you didn't lie to her! Geez!"

Draco frowned, thinking. "Since I can't lie now, you should believe me when I say that I can't remember ever telling Hermione a lie…I wouldn't answer some of her questions here and there, if that counts…I wouldn't tell her the price of the wine we drank, or the reason I was stationed there…"

"Fine. Nevermind." Harry stared at the carpet, still rubbing his forehead. He looked up. "What are the reason's that you're here, now, with Hermione?"

"Harry, that's enough. You know he hasn't lied to me about anything…" Hermione started, her face red from the last line of questioning.

But Draco started talking unwillingly. "I'm here..." He gritted his teeth. "…because she is my only hope. She is the only one who can save my life, and the only person left who truly cares for me at all…" He stared fixedly at some point on the wall. "She's always caring and would help anyone in need despite the dangers to herself…really brave, and my complete opposite. I admire her. I could never be like her. I'm with her because she will save me, and because I love everything about her, even the qualities I don't…can't… understand." He glared at Harry. "Yes, maybe it's using her to expect her help. But I would give up her help if I thought it would hurt her. And I do love her."

Draco took a deep breath. "Can we please stop the questions now? What more do you want?"

Harry said in a small voice, "Just one more question, I promise." He looked up and met Draco's eyes. "If you could go back now, would you have switched sides?"

"Yes. No. I…I would never have joined the death eaters, if that had been an option. But I wouldn't have risked my life fighting for either side, if I could help it…" He groaned, spitting out the last, "I'm not brave. Like I said. I wanted glory at first, but when I saw what that cost I just wanted safety."

"What did it cost?"

"Harry! Enough!"

Draco glared. His eyes looked wet as he continued, "I was forced to torture people. Cruciatus curse. Ollivander, for one. People died in front of me. Innocent people. People were sent to Azkaban; had their wands snapped. It cost people their lives….and it cost some people their souls…" His eyes looked haunted; sad and dark.

Harry nodded. He pulled a small antidote bottle from his pocket and handed it to Draco.

Hermione stood up and slapped Harry's shoulder. Hard. Really hard, actually.

"Ah!" Harry cried, grabbing his shoulder. "Damn, Hermione!" he rubbed it, and under his breath muttered, "That'll be leaving a bruise…"

"Good! Are you satisfied?" Hermione asked, puffing up.

Harry hung his head. "Yes."

"And are you going to feel bad for a long while about how you treated him…and me?"

"Yes."

Hermione deflated. "Good…" She turned to Draco. He had drunk the antidote and was sitting motionless with his eyes closed.

She sat next to him and hugged him. "Are you ok?" She whispered in his ear. He silently nodded.

"Sorry…" Harry said. "I just had to know for sure. But since he was telling the truth all along, I guess that doesn't excuse the Veratiserum. So I'm sorry. I'm sorry I made things so hard on you, Hermione." He stared at Draco. "Is he going to be ok?"

Draco looked to be a strange shade of green and was breathing hard.

Hermione remembered a potions class a while ago. "Oh! Side effects of the antidote; he can't talk for awhile, and he'll feel nauseous…" She glared up at Harry.

He sighed. "Look, I'll get Malfoy out of trouble, ok? I'll do whatever I can for him at his trial…and I said I was sorry, ok?" He looked down at Draco. "Though I still don't like you; _you_ even know that you're a coward. And you _did_ run to Hermione expecting her to help you. But I guess that's just your nature. If you're not lying to her…if you're not going to hurt her, then I'm sorry for putting you through all this."

Draco didn't say a word. He just doubled over and held his arms over his stomach. Hermione rubbed his back, looking worried.

"Geez. He looks like Ron when he spit up snails."

Hermione nodded. "He should be ok, though. He needs to rest." She looked up at Harry. "Which requires you getting out of here."

Harry nodded. "Ok. I'll be there, though. On the 16th. Day after tomorrow…er, today, I guess. Wow. It is late."

Hermione stood up and hugged her friend. "I know you've just been acting like a stupid jerk because you care about me. Thank you. Idiot."

Harry laughed. "Yeah…I'm sorry…I shouldn't have been butting into your personal life…even if it involved the person I dislike most. I just didn't want you to get hurt…"

She nodded into his chest. She felt like crying. "Please…I know you and Draco will never get along, but can you both stop being so hostile around me? For my sake?"

Harry nodded.

"And…could you talk to Ron? I think he really hates me."

"Don't you remember what he said before? After we "rescued" you from that cabin? He said he could never hate you. Don't worry- I'll remind him."

Hermione stepped back, wiping at her eyes. "Thank you."

Harry nodded, waved, and disapperated.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

After that it was smooth sailing. Well, almost.

The trial itself was over rather quickly. They let Draco off, of course, after hearing Harry's testimony. But they did question him about other Death Eaters.

He was cooperative, up until they mentioned his parents.

That made him go silent. He refused to answer anything else.

The idea of Veratiserum was brought up, but both Harry and Hermione exclaimed their outrage at the idea. With two hero's vouching for him, Draco was told to just beat it; he was in the way of _real_ death eater trials.

Hermione wasn't even sure when Draco's parent's trials would be. Draco looked troubled as they walked away from the courtrooms, towards the Ministry's fireplaces.

"Are you alright?" She asked gently, moving close to him. He nodded slowly as she reached for his hand.

She noticed people looking as the three made their way to the floo network. Was it because of Draco? Most people knew he had been on trial…he was going to have a hard time for awhile in the Wizarding world.

It could also be because of Harry, of course. People stared openly, whispering to their companions.

Hermione found it annoying, whoever they were looking at.

As they reached the glowing green flames of the fireplaces, Harry turned to say goodbye.

Hermione jumped forward and hugged him. "Thank you, Harry."

He nodded.

"Tell Ginny I'm on for dinner this Saturday."

Harry smiled. "She'll be happy to hear it. She's sick of hanging around so many boys all the time, between her brothers and me. I think she needs her girl-friend." He nodded at Draco once as he vanished in the flames.

This left Draco and Hermione alone for long enough that she could tell at least some of the stares were, indeed, for Draco. She glared back at one couple near by them. Defiantly she leaned over and kissed Draco on the cheek just before she stepped into the flames. Draco followed, right on her heels.

***

It had been a week since the trial…

Hermione hadn't been able to find out about the older Malfoy's trial dates, but when she asked Draco about it he had shrugged.

"I love my parents…" He had said, "but what can I do to help them? I'm a former death eater, afterall."

Hermione was inclined to agree. Although it appeared the Malfoy's had gone slightly rogue near the end of the war, they had no evidence. Harry had explained at Draco's trial about his mother's help in the final battle. Maybe that would help her. Maybe.

Hermione wished she could say that her and Draco had had a real date by this point. A trip to Hogsmead, or dinner and a movie...But that hadn't happened, either. Too much publicity.

They were in the Prophet, actually. Can you believe it? The way people pay such close attention to the personal lives of the famous…

One of the closest friends of the Chosen One and a former death eater as a couple? Her little kiss at the ministry caused quite a stir. Not a front page stir, thank god, but still…

Hermione stuffed her toothbrush into her tiny handbag. There. She was all packed.

Clothes, books, a tent…check, check, check. She ran through her mental list.

She opened the bathroom door and ran downstairs.

It was the middle of the night. Their fleeing would seem more dramatic that way, she thought with a giggle. It was her plan to leave at this hour.

Ok, so they weren't _really_ fleeing, per say. But getting out of the country and away from the stares for a while seemed like a good idea.

So, technically, yes, they were running away together.

It was actually very funny.

Hermione was excited. She hadn't had much of anything to look forward to in a long time, and this felt like it would be a fun adventure. Not a heroic, save-the-day-at-great-peril-to-yourself kind of adventure. A calm, fun adventure. With Draco. Just her, and Draco. No one staring, no disapproving-but-grudgingly-acknowledging friends…

Her parents would be coming back, though. She had made sure to remove the spells she had placed on them. It would take some getting used to…they still didn't quite remember her. They would come back to the house, and get used to that again, first. Hermione wanted to be out of the way by then. She'd worry about bringing back their memories of her after she returned. She didn't want to spring too much on them at once.

Which was her excellent excuse for running off to…well, it's a secret!…with Draco.

Draco was waiting downstairs, sitting on the couch. He rolled his eyes. "About time! I've been waiting here forever! How many books do you need, anyways?" He gave her a pretend frown. "Am I boring?"

She grinned. "Never that, that's for sure. It's just my nature to bring books."

He nodded. "Yep. A total know-it-all to the end."

"Better a know-it-all bookworm than a boring light packer."

"Hey!" He grinned.

She laughed as she checked her bag one more time to make sure she had everything she needed.

"Hermione…" Draco started.

Her head shot up. His tone had turned so serious so suddenly. "Hmm?"

"What about when we get back?"

She grinned. "I thought we were going to pretend we were running away together forever. Much more dramatic that way."

He barked out a sharp laugh, then tried to control himself and stay serious. "No, really. Your parents are coming back…I can't really live _here_, you know…"

Hermione's heart sank. Why was he talking about this, now? She had planned on this being an exciting mad dash from reality.

He had his mansion, of course, since he had been found innocent…In fact, he had gotten back his vacation home in Canada, too, since his _dear aunt Bella_ had kicked the bucket. So, of course he would return home. Makes perfect sense, right?

But Hermione liked living with him…she liked waking up with him…damn. All good things have to end, huh?

"Well…" she answered carefully, "I know you have to go home sometime…" She lowered her eyes. "But…I mean…I can visit you, right?" She laughed nervously. "This isn't your way of breaking up with me, right?" Yeah…that sounded real cool. Stating her actual fears while sounding like she's joking. Perfect. Great.

Draco rolled his eyes. "You really are just a self-conscious mess sometimes, you know?" He stepped towards her, trying not to meet her eyes as he grabbed her hands. "I meant…I kinda hoped…I mean, you have all those damn nice witch robes now, and if you let them just go to waste I'll take it as a personal insult, since they were a gift…"

"I still want to pay you back for those…"

He sighed. "Just shut up for a minute, ok? I'm trying to say something here. Idiot."

She smiled. He was nervous enough to resort to childish insults? He must be trying to say something nice. That was always somewhat hard for him, especially if it was sweet and mushy in any way. She found that aspect of him cute, where others may have found it annoying.

"I mean…yes, I want to go back to my house. But I was kinda hoping you go with me."

She raised her eyebrows.

"I don't mean just to stay for a while. I mean to move in…If you want!" He grinned. "Though it is a _very_ big and _very _nice mansion. Yep. Not that I'm trying to bribe you into moving in, but it's reeeeally nice…"

Hermione gaped at him. She managed to control her mouth long enough to sputter, "Yeah. I mean, of course! Wouldn't want those dress robes to go to waste living here, right?" She smiled. She would live with him? Even after their "great escape?" It was too perfect. She was just waiting for the world-shaking disaster to come mess it up.

Draco reached into his pocket. "Oh, almost forgot…I want you to have this before we leave. I'll end up losing it somewhere if I'm carrying it in my robes all over the world." He pulled out a strange little gold object and put it in Hermione's hand.

She brought the object up to eye level to look at it, letting it dangle by the chain.

At first she almost grimaced, mistaking the locket for the cursed horcrux she had helped destroy. But, "destroy" being the key word, _that_ locket was no more. She realized this was a very different locket, a much prettier one.

It was golden with an intricate designed worked into the front. When she pulled it open she found it was empty, but decorated inside with the same lovely pattern.

She looked up at Draco expectantly.

He blushed and coughed. "It's…erm, a family heirloom. Women on my father's side wore it…" he stared at the ground. "You're supposed to put your picture and the picture of who you will one day marry in it. Really old fashioned and corny, I know…It's not magic or anything, just an ordinary locket…"

Hermione stared at him, not finding the words she wanted to say. She wanted to tell him it was beautiful. She wanted to say that she was touched that he had snuck it out of his vault for her that day at Gringotts. She wanted to ask if she could put his picture in it…

She blushed. All she managed was, "Thank you. I love it."

She placed the chain around her head. Her hand automatically clutched at the locket around her neck. She couldn't stop staring at it with a stupid grin on her face.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Draco said, interrupting her daydreaming with a start.

"Right…"

He grinned. "Running away under cover of night. Very romantic, right?"

She nodded, grabbing his arm. "Very. Let's go."

The End

***

Did everyone like it? I'm very picky about endings, so I hope I did this justice!

SEQUEL WISH: Someone reviewed yesterday saying it was their birthday? Kassa Simbaa? I was teetering on whether or not to do a sequel. Since you asked for one, I guess I will do it afterall. :)

It might be a little while, since I have another fic I'm working on, but eventually I'll get to doing a sequel: Keep an eye on my profile.

I'm working on a new fic now, another Dramione. :heart:

It's about Hermione getting trapped in a painting and only Malfoy knows where's she's gone. But, being the jerk that he is, he's not about to help her out right away…until he starts to fall for her! Oh, snap!

Sound nice? There's much more to it, though. I'm not good at summaries…Please check it out on my profile! ^.^ Just click my name!

Thanks to everyone supporting me while I wrote this! All the reviews were very much appreciated! Chu!


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